View source for Don Kessinger

{{short description|American baseball player and manager (born 1942)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Don Kessinger
|image=Don Kessinger 1973.jpg
|caption=Kessinger in 1973
|position=[[Shortstop]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1942|07|17}}
|birth_place=[[Forrest City, Arkansas]], U.S.
|bats=Switch
|throws=Right
|debutleague=MLB
|debutdate=September 7
|debutyear=1964
|debutteam=Chicago Cubs
|finalleague=MLB
|finaldate=July 31
|finalyear=1979
|finalteam=Chicago White Sox
|statleague=MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.252
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=14
|stat3label=[[Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=527
|stat4label=Managerial record
|stat4value=46–60
|stat5label=Winning %
|stat5value={{Winning percentage|46|60}}
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{mlby|1964}}–{{mlby|1975}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1976}}–{{mlby|1977}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1979}})
'''As manager'''
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1979}})
|highlights=
* 6× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1968]]–[[1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1972]], [[1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1974]])
* 2× [[Gold Glove Award]] (1969, 1970)
* [[Chicago Cubs#Cubs Hall of Fame|Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame]]
}}
'''Donald Eulon Kessinger''' (born July 17, 1942) is an [[Americans|American]] former professional [[baseball]] player and [[Manager (baseball)|manager]].<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kessido01.shtml |title=Don Kessinger Statistics |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> He played in [[Major League Baseball]] as a [[shortstop]] from {{Baseball year|1964}} to {{Baseball year|1979}}, most prominently as a member of the [[Chicago Cubs]], where he was a six-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] and two-time [[Gold Glove Award]] winner. He ended his career playing for the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] and the [[Chicago White Sox]].<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/>

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Kessinger was considered one of the best shortstops in baseball.<ref name="Don Kessinger- Is He Best Shortstop in the Majors?">{{Cite magazine |last=Furlong |first=William |date=October 1969 |title=Don Kessinger- Is He Best Shortstop in the Majors? |magazine=Baseball Digest}}</ref> For nine consecutive seasons he formed a productive middle-infield partnership with second baseman [[Glenn Beckert]]. He is also notable for being the last player-manager in [[American League]] history.<ref name="Wilmington Morning Star">{{cite news |title=White Sox name Don Kessinger player-manager |agency=Associated Press |work=Wilmington Morning Star |page=1 |date=October 20, 1978 |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S-syAAAAIBAJ&pg=2364,3972020&dq=don+kessinger&hl=en}}</ref>

==Baseball career==
A four sport All-State and All-America athlete for the [[Forrest City High School]] Mustangs, Kessinger graduated high school in 1960 and went on to the [[University of Mississippi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olemiss.edu/alumni/notable/sports.html |title=Notable Alumni |access-date=2012-08-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010215047/http://www.olemiss.edu/alumni/notable/sports.html |archive-date=October 10, 2012 }}</ref> During his collegiate years, he earned All-Conference, All-SEC, and [[All-America]] honors in both basketball and baseball for the [[Ole Miss Rebels baseball|Rebels]], and was initiated into the [[Sigma Nu]] fraternity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w85KAAAAYAAJ&q=%22don+kessinger%22+%22sigma+nu%22|title=Delta|date=October 5, 1993|publisher=Sigma Nu Fraternity|via=Google Books}}</ref>  Kessinger also played for the Peoria Pacers, of the Central Illinois Collegiate League (a summer league for collegiate players) in its founding year, 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2004/Apr/24/News_new/sports_b.shtml|title=LDN – Sports|website=archives.lincolndailynews.com}}</ref> He was signed by the [[Chicago Cubs]] as an amateur [[free agent]] on June 19, 1964.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/> Kessinger was assigned to play for the [[Minor league baseball|Double-A]] [[Fort Worth Cats]] before making his major league debut on September 7, [[1964 Chicago Cubs season|1964]].<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=kessin001don |title=Don Kessinger Minor League Statistics |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref>

He returned to the minor leagues with the Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs for the [[1965 Chicago Cubs season|1965]] season, but was brought back by the Cubs in June of that year and became their starting shortstop.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=kessido01&t=b&year=1965 |title=1965 Don Kessinger batting log |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> The 1965 season would mark the first of nine consecutive seasons in which Kessinger would work alongside Cubs' [[second baseman]] [[Glenn Beckert]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://baseballbiography.com/glenn-beckert-1940 |title=Glenn Beckert |publisher=baseballbiography.com |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> He ended the season hitting for a .201 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] and led the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] shortstops in [[Error (baseball)|errors]] but, showed some promise by leading the league in [[range factor]].<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1965-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1965 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref>

As the [[1966 Chicago Cubs season|1966]] season got underway, Kessinger continued to struggle with his hitting when, new Cubs [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] [[Leo Durocher]] encouraged him to become a [[switch hitter]].<ref name="Don Kessinger- Is He Best Shortstop in the Majors?"/> With the help of [[Coach (baseball)|coach]] [[Pete Reiser]], his hitting began to improve, in posting a .304 batting average during the second half of the season.<ref name="Don Kessinger- Is He Best Shortstop in the Majors?"/> Durocher made Kessinger his [[Batting order (baseball)|lead off]] hitter, a spot he would hold for many years. He ended the year with a career-high .274 batting average and led the league's shortstops with 474 [[Assist (baseball)|assists]].<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1966-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1966 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref>

[[File:Don Kessinger 1969.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Kessinger in 1969]]
Kessinger continued to improve his fielding and in {{Baseball year|1968}}, he was recognized as one of the top shortstops in the league when he was voted to be the starting shortstop for the National League in the [[1968 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1968 All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS196807090.shtml |title=1968 All-Star Game |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> At the end of the season, he ranked first among the league's shortstops in range factor and, led the entire league in assists.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1968-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1968 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> While he also led the league in errors, he attributed this to the fact that he reached more [[ground ball]]s than the average shortstop.<ref name="Don Kessinger- Is He Best Shortstop in the Majors?"/>

Kessinger repeated as an All-Star in [[1969 Chicago Cubs season|1969]], in a year which saw the entire Chicago Cubs infield join him on the [[1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1969 All-Star team]], with Kessinger and Cubs' [[third baseman]] [[Ron Santo]] in the starting line-up.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS196907230.shtml |title=1969 All-Star Game |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> In {{Baseball year|1969}}, he set a major league single-season record for shortstops by playing in 54 games without committing an [[Error (baseball)|error]], breaking the record previously set by [[Chico Carrasquel]] in {{Baseball year|1951}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tolan Gives Reds Win; Nightcap Ends at Seven |agency=Associated Press |work=Schenectady Gazette |page=28 |date=June 16, 1969 |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mh1HAAAAIBAJ&pg=3034,3312219&dq=don+kessinger+errorless+streak&hl=en}}</ref> The Cubs were in first place in the [[National League Eastern Division]] for 180 days of the 1969 season, before going 8–17 in their final 25 games, while the [[1969 New York Mets season|New York "Miracle" Mets]] went 37–11 in their final 48 games to clinch the Eastern Division [[Pennant (sports)|pennant]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G1XaSKnBWosC&q=1969+chicago+cubs |title=Miracle Collapse: The 1969 Chicago Cubs |author=Feldmann, Doug |year=1969 |publisher=U of Nebraska Press |isbn=9780803220263 |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> Despite the Cubs' late-season collapse, Kessinger scored 109 [[Run (baseball)|runs]], hit for a .273 batting average with a career-high 181 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], including 38 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]]; second-most in the league.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/> He led the league's shortstops in [[putouts]], finished second in [[fielding percentage]] and once again led the entire National League in assists.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1969-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1969 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> He finished in 15th place in balloting for the 1969 National League [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]] and won his first [[Gold Glove Award]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1969.shtml#NLmvp |title=1969 Most Valuable Player Award balloting |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_nl.shtml#1969 |title=1969 Gold Glove Award winners |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> In his book, ''[[The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract]]'', baseball historian [[Bill James]] cited manager Durocher's method of using his regular players everyday without any rest days as a factor in the Cubs' collapse.<ref>{{cite book |author=James, Bill |title=[[The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract]] |publisher=Free Press |location=New York |year=2001 |page=[https://archive.org/details/newbilljameshist00jame/page/635 635] |isbn=0-684-80697-5 }}</ref>  On September 9, 1969, Kessinger was in the batters box at Shea Stadium when a black cat emerged from under the stands.  After staring at Kessinger and Santo (in the on-deck circle), it headed toward the Cubs' bench, where Durocher received a raised tail and hiss.<ref>{{cite web |last=Merron |first=Jeff |title=No masking horror of Friday the 13th |url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/merron/030612.html |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=[[ESPN]]}}</ref>

During a July 4 interview in 1969 with then St. Louis Cardinals sportscaster [[Harry Caray]], Cubs pitcher, [[Ferguson Jenkins]], gave a name to Kessinger's trademark play at shortstop—"The Down Pat". Children from throughout [[WGN-TV]]'s viewing audience widely copied it on playgrounds and in Little League games, and his fellow players typically stood in awe. Carey noted that Kessinger would regularly go to his right, toward left field, spear the ground ball and then, demonstrating a unique agility, reverse while in the air as he whipped the ball toward first base. "Do you think it might be because Don was a great basketball player?" asked Caray.  Without hesitation, Jenkins responded, "In the past five games he's made many great plays to his right. Don has this play down pat."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Prell |first=Edward |date=1969-07-05 |title=New M.V.P. Candidate: Kessinger |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-new-mvp-candidate-ke/155952550/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |work=Chicago Tribune |pages=44 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

[[File:Don Kessinger Gold Glove, Chicago Cubs Store, Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois (42675552764).jpg|thumb|1970 [[Gold Glove Award]] trophy, received by Kessinger]]

Kessinger had another successful season in [[1970 Chicago Cubs season|1970]], producing a .266 batting average while scoring 100 runs.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/> He led the entire league in assists for the third consecutive year and claimed his second Gold Glove Award.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1970-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1970 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/gold_glove_nl.shtml#1970 |title=1970 Gold Glove Award winners |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> On June 17, 1971, he went 6-for-6, becoming the first Cubs with a six hit game in nearly 34 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/B06170CHN1971.htm |title=June 17, 1971 Cardinals-Cubs box score |publisher=retrosheet.org |access-date=April 2, 2012 }}</ref> He continued to be one of the cornerstones of the Cubs' infield, earning three more All-Star berths in [[1971 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1971]], [[1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1972]] and [[1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1974]].<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/> In October [[1975 Chicago Cubs season|1975]], after 11 seasons with the Cubs, Kessinger was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals—for pitcher [[Mike Garman]] and infielder Bobby Hrapmann.<ref name="Cubs Trade Don Kessinger">{{cite news |title=Cubs Trade Don Kessinger |agency=Associated Press |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |page=28 |date=October 29, 1975 |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F65fAAAAIBAJ&pg=5820,7909462&dq=don+kessinger&hl=en}}</ref> He was the last remaining Cub from the 1969 season when they almost won the pennant.<ref name="Cubs Trade Don Kessinger"/>

The 33-year-old Kessinger still played well in St. Louis, ending the season with a .320 [[on-base percentage]] and was second in the league in range factor.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1976-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1976 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> In August [[1977 Chicago White Sox season|1977]], he was traded to the Chicago White Sox—for pitcher Steve Staniland—who were seeking to bolster their infield strength.<ref>{{cite news |title=Don Kessinger to White Sox |agency=Associated Press |work=The Montreal Gazette |page=12 |date=August 22, 1977 |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MAsyAAAAIBAJ&pg=2389,4329694&dq=don+kessinger&hl=en}}</ref> The White Sox held a "Don Kessinger Night" on September 8, 1978, where 31,000 Chicago baseball fans (said to consist, in Baseball Digest, of nearly equal numbers of Sox and Cubs fans) thanked #11 for his years of service at shortstop.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dozer |first=Richard |date=January 1979 |title=Don Kessinger: Baseball's Newest Player-Manager |magazine=Baseball Digest}}</ref> On October 19, [[1978 Chicago White Sox season|1978]], White Sox President [[Bill Veeck]] named Kessinger to be the team's [[player-manager]] (the last in AL history).<ref name="Wilmington Morning Star"/> He was managing at Comiskey Park on July 12, 1979, when the infamous "[[Disco Demolition Night]]" took place, and wisely locked his players in the locker room between games, avoiding the near-riot.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kessinger recalls 'unbelievable' Disco Night |work=The Chicago Tribune |date=July 13, 2006 |access-date=April 2, 2012 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/07/13/kessinger-recalls-unbelievable-disco-night/}}</ref> With the White Sox languishing in 5th place in the standings, Kessinger resigned on August 2, [[1979 Chicago White Sox season|1979]] and was replaced by [[Tony La Russa]].<ref>{{cite news |title=LaRussa takes over from Don Kessinger |agency=United Press International |work=The Telegraph-Herald |page=14 |date=August 3, 1979 |access-date=January 11, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0-9BAAAAIBAJ&pg=5825,325798&dq=don+kessinger&hl=en}}</ref>

==Managerial record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Games!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
|-
![[1979 Chicago White Sox season|CWS]]|| {{mlby|1979}}
||106||{{WinLossPct|46|60}}|| resigned || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|Total ||106||{{WinLossPct|46|60}}|| || {{WinLossPct|0|0}} || 
|}

==Career statistics==
In a 16-year major league career, Kessinger played in 2,078 [[Games played|games]], accumulating 1,931 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]] in 7,651 [[at bats]] for a .252 career batting average along with 14 [[home run]]s, 527 [[runs batted in]] and an [[on-base percentage]] of .314.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/> Kessinger however struggled as a pinch-hitter in his MLB career, going 0-for-37 with just one RBI.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball-reference.com/players/k/kessido01-bat.shtml|title=Don Kessinger Situational Batting at Baseball Reference|website=baseball-reference.com|accessdate= January 30, 2024}}</ref> He retired with a .965 fielding percentage.<ref name="Don Kessinger Statistics"/> A six-time All-Star, Kessinger won the National League Gold Glove for shortstops in {{Baseball year|1969}} and {{Baseball year|1970}}. In three different seasons with the Cubs, he turned 100 or more double plays. Kessinger had 6,212 assists during his career, ranking him 14th all-time among major league shortstops.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/A_ss_career.shtml |title=Career Leaders & Records for Assists as Shortstop |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> In 1977 he was named the recipient of the Danny Thomas Memorial Award, for his exemplary Christian Spirit in Major League Baseball and, the following year he was the recipient of the [[Lou Gehrig Memorial Award]], presented annually to the Major League baseball player who both on and off the field best exemplifies the character of [[Lou Gehrig]].<ref name="Six inductees to be honored during Sports Hall of Fame banquet">{{cite web |url=http://www.northwestms.edu/publicrelations/PR_news/april/hall_of_fame.html |title=Six inductees to be honored during Sports Hall of Fame banquet |publisher=northwestms.edu |access-date=April 2, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_lg.shtml |title=Lou Gehrig Memorial Award |publisher=Baseball Almanac |access-date=January 11, 2011 }}</ref> Kessinger received 0.5% of the vote on the [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1985]], his only appearance on the balloting.

==Personal life==
Kessinger married Carolyn Crawley—also from Forrest City—in 1965.<ref name="Six inductees to be honored during Sports Hall of Fame banquet"/>  One son, [[Keith Kessinger|Keith]], was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1989 and had a brief career (nine years, minors and majors, in the Reds and Cubs organizations) as a professional baseball player.<ref>{{cite web |title=Keith Kessinger Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kessike01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> Another son, Kevin, was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1992.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kevin Kessinger Minor Leagues Statistics & History |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kessir001kev |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Prior to the 1991 season, Kessinger was hired as the head baseball coach at his alma mater, the [[University of Mississippi]].  Kessinger would spend six years as the Ole Miss skipper, leading the Rebels to four 30-win seasons.<ref name="2018 Ole Miss Baseball Guide">{{cite web |url=https://olemisssports.com/documents/2018/3/5/_ole_m_basebl_2017_18_misc_non_event__2018-baseball-media-guide.pdf |title=2018 Ole Miss Baseball Guide |publisher=University of Mississippi Athletics Communications Office |access-date=February 28, 2019}}</ref> His 1995 team produced a school record for wins, going 40–22 and earning the school's first NCAA Regional bid since 1977.<ref name="2018 Ole Miss Baseball Guide"/> Ole Miss finished on the verge of its first [[College World Series]] appearance since 1972, placing second at the NCAA Atlantic I Regional behind host [[Florida State Seminoles baseball|Florida State]]. Both of his sons had the opportunity to play for their father at Ole Miss. Following the 1996 season, Kessinger resigned his head coaching position to become Mississippi's associate athletics director for internal affairs, while concurrently serving as chair of the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. He finished with a six-year record of 185–153.<ref name="2018 Ole Miss Baseball Guide"/>

Kessinger was an honoree at the 1976 Chicago Baseball Writers Diamond Dinner, where he was presented with the Ken Hubbs Award, given for exemplary conduct both on and off the field.<ref>35th Annual Diamond Dinner Program</ref>  He has also honored by the [[Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame]], Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame, Wrigley Field Walk of Fame, Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame, [[Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame]], [[National High School Hall of Fame]] and the [[Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref name="Six inductees to be honored during Sports Hall of Fame banquet"/> He was also recognized as the 12th Best Athlete in the history of the Southeastern Conference in 2007 and named to the Ole Miss All-Century Basketball Team in 2008.<ref name="Six inductees to be honored during Sports Hall of Fame banquet"/> Presently, he is the President of Kessinger Enterprises, Inc. and owns a real estate business in [[Oxford, Mississippi]].<ref name="Six inductees to be honored during Sports Hall of Fame banquet"/>

While writing his 2012 novel ''[[Calico Joe]]''—detailing a fictional young player on the Cubs in the early 1970s—author [[John Grisham]] drew from Kessinger's memories.  "But Grisham gets the baseball right – among the people he consulted while writing the book was Don Kessinger, a longtime friend who was the Cubs' slick-fielding shortstop in the period the flashback portion covers."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.jsonline.com/more/entertainment/145163125.htm |title=Baseball season means reading about everyone from Yogi Berra to Bill Veeck |access-date=2012-04-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212325/http://m.jsonline.com/more/entertainment/145163125.htm |archive-date=March 3, 2016 }}</ref>

Kessinger's grandson, [[Grae Kessinger|Grae]], also became a professional baseball player who made his major league debut for the [[Houston Astros]] in [[2023 Houston Astros season|2023]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rookies shine for Astros as Kessinger homers, Julks has 4 hits in 4–1 win over Rockies |url=https://apnews.com/article/astros-kessinger-julks-rockies-bryant-bielak-1c7031258bfefb49ab8155bbfa54092b |date=July 4, 2023 |access-date=July 5, 2023 |work=[[Associated Press]] News |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Mississippi|Baseball|Biography}}
{{div col}}
* [[Chicago Cubs award winners and league leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career assists leaders]] 
* [[List of Major League Baseball career double plays as a shortstop leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career fielding errors as a shortstop leaders]] 
* [[List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a shortstop leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball player-managers]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders]]
* [[List of second-generation Major League Baseball players]] 
* [[List of University of Mississippi alumni]] 
{{div col end}}
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=117024|espn=23711|br=k/kessido01|fangraphs=1006877|brm=kessin001don}}
{{baseball-reference manager|kessido01}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=G1XaSKnBWosC&q=1969+chicago+cubs ''Miracle Collapse: The 1969 Chicago Cubs'']
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=uysDAAAAMBAJ&dq=baseball+digest+1969+chicago+cubs&pg=PA71 ''Fans Still Carry the Torch for Also-Ran '69 Cubs'', Baseball Digest, June 1993]

{{Chicago White Sox managers}}
{{Ole Miss Rebels baseball coach navbox}}
{{Lou Gehrig Memorial Award}}
{{NL SS Gold Glove Award}}
{{1964 College Baseball All-Americans}}
{{Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kessinger, Don}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college baseball players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball shortstops]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs players]]
[[Category:St. Louis Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox players]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox managers]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Gold Glove Award winners]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball player-managers]]
[[Category:Ole Miss Rebels baseball coaches]]
[[Category:Ole Miss Rebels baseball players]]
[[Category:Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Fort Worth Cats players]]
[[Category:Dallas–Fort Worth Spurs players]]
[[Category:People from Forrest City, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Arkansas]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]