Favorite Player: Kelly Hunt

One of my all-time favorite players is Kelly Hunt. He played for a few seasons in the Tigers organization, and he could've legitimately got called up to Detroit in 2006 if they had an injury at 1st Base. I first started following Kelly in 2005. He was with the Lakeland Tigers, as their first baseman, and I had been to a ton of games that year, and not really interacted with him much. Once their team baseball card set came out around July or August, I got him to sign his card. I noticed he was signing a Bible verse when he was signing, so I took the time to ask him about it, and he quoted the verse, and something (I believe the Holy Spirit) prompted me to ask him if he had ever heard of the book "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. My youth group at the time had just finished going through the book, and I still read parts of it from time to time. He mentioned that he reads a portion from the book daily (it is split up so you can read a portion every day of the year). We then talked about the recent lessons from it after he had finished signing the card. After that, every time I saw him at a Tigers game the rest of the year, we talked about the book.
So the Tigers cruised through the playoffs that year, and made it to the Florida State League Championship Series, and were playing in Game 4 of the best-of-5 game series, needing to win. During the top of the 3rd Inning, a batter from the Palm Beach Cardinals grounded out for the 3rd out, and Kelly caught the ball at 1st, and then proceeded to throw it to me while he was walking to the dugout. Later in the game, he Homered, and also doubled in the 6-0 win. In the final game, I asked him if I could have his bat after the game, and he sais 'yes'. Kelly hit a doubled in the top of the 3rd, his 4th of the series. I got a picture of him standing at 2nd, and I believe I still have it somewhere. The game went into the bottom of the 9th tied, and Kelly came up to the plate with a runner on 1st and 2 out with a chance to win the championship. He ultimately walked, finishing the game 1-3 with a double, walk, and 2 flyouts to center, and finished the series batting .357, 2nd on the team. The Tigers lost the game in 10, and Kelly gave me his bat after the game and signed it, and we chatted for a while, and he gave me his address to mail the picture of his double, and his email so we could keep in touch. I saw him once in Spring Training in 2006, and moved to Alabama shortly after. Kelly spent 2006 in AA, having good power numbers, but a semi-low batting average, and a few too many strikeouts. He was doing well enough, that I think if the Tigers had an injury or two and he was in AAA that he could've got called up. I emailed him a few times in 2006, but kind of lost contact after that. He played in independant ball from 2007-2010, and was inducted into the Bowling Green Hall of Fame in 2015. Kelly has minor league cards from 2004, 2006, and 2007 that I don't have, and if I can ever find any on eBay, I think I will try to finish his master set.

KELLY HUNT CARDS I HAVE:
2004 Topps Traded custom
2005 Grandstand (ip auto)
2005 Topps Traded custom

2006 Grandstand