4 generations of Keller men- Charlie Keller sits with son Charlie Keller the III, grandson Chaz, and great-grandson Chase.
Baseball is a staple of the summer
season. Families throughout Frederick
County share a love for the game, often
passed down through generations.
in college while studying agricultural
economics at the University of Maryland.
He earned his degree in 1937 and went on
to pursue a career in baseball.
modest man that focused on his family,”
Chaz Keller said of his grandfather. “He
was a great ball player, but he also had
many interests and good morals.”
A few Fredericktonians made their way
into the field of our nation’s pastime
and joined the ranks of well-known,
professional athletes across the country.
In our home, a love for the game
was passed down from generation to
generation, most notably from my great
grandfather- Charlie. Although bred to
become a Yankee, Charlie Keller was a
man of Frederick County. A hard hitter
for the team from the Bronx, he will
always stand known as a family man
from Frederick.
Charlie spent two years as an outfielder
for the Newark Bears. During this
time he married Martha Williamson, a
Baltimore native, and began his family.
That same year, he earned a spot on the
Yankees roster and as a right fielder
helped win the 1939 World Series against
the Cincinnati Reds. In the first game
of the series, he even ran across home
plate scoring the winning run thanks
to Bill Dickey’s notable single. During
his rookie season, Charlie played 111
games, earned a .334 batting average,
and achieved a .447 on-base average.
With a great respect and desire to serve
his country, he briefly left the diamond to
enlist as a Merchant Marine in World War
II. His service began in 1944 and spanned
through August of 1945. As soon as he
returned from his duties in the military,
“King-Kong” completed 44 games in 1945
with a .577 slugging average. He was 29
years old.
Born and raised in Middletown, Charlie
(or Dad-Dad, as we call him) had a
great interest in agriculture and horses.
His other love, of course, was baseball.
He followed his dreams by playing ball
He was a humble hitter, coming back to
Maryland often to tell all that he didn’t
want anyone to treat him differently
because he played baseball. “He was a
For nearly 13 years, Charlie played alongside
the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Henrich
and Yogi Berra. He loved the sport that
called him to New York each spring as well
as the relationships he fostered with the
great men with whom he shared the field.
His time as a Yankee included four World
Series, three of which were history-making
victories. He played in five All-Star games.
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