It seems that Jerry Kelleher’s appearance on a team yields interesting results -they win championships. With the Strikers he won championships at Ridge, Foster, Kennedy, and Ashburn Parks. The Blazers won the championship at Curie. 1981 was a particularly good year as Kelleher played on two National championship teams – with the Bobcats in winning the 1981 USSSA National Championship and with the Whips in winning the 1981 ASA Nationals. In 1986 Kelleher and the Ducks of Oaklawn took the ASA National Championship. Seven years after their title in 1981, the Whips continued their dominance of softball when they won both the ASA and USSSA Championships in 1988. Besides national championships, Kelleher’s career includes numerous individual awards. In 1981 he was selected to the ASA and USSSA National All – Tournament Team where he was also selected as the Most Valuable Player of those tournaments. He received similar honors at the 1981 Mt. Greenwood All – Star Game and in the 14th Ward Tournament. 1988 saw Kelleher capturing Most Valuable Defensive Player honors at the 1988 USSSA Nationals. Jerry Kelleher’s career found him playing most positions of the infield, but his main position was at shortstop where he was known as one of the top defensive players in the 1970s and 80s. Kelleher also demonstrated his offensive prowess with a .550 lifetime batting average that made him one of the top r.b.i. men of his era. Jerry and his wife, Maria, have three children. He passed away in 2010.
