Jerry Kindall

Jerry Kindall (August 26, 1935 – December 24, 2017) was an American professional Major League Baseball second baseman, coach and collegiate manager. He played for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and Minnesota Twins before becoming head coach at the University of Arizona, where he led the Arizona Wildcats baseball program to multiple College World Series championships. Kindall's career spanned playing, scouting, instruction, and broadcasting across Major League Baseball, Pacific Coast League, and NCAA Division I baseball.

Early life and amateur career

Kindall was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and raised in the Upper Midwest near the Mississippi River. He attended Minneapolis area schools before enrolling at the University of Minnesota where he played under coach John Kundla-era influences and alongside contemporaries who later entered Major League Baseball. After early summer play in the Cape Cod Baseball League and off-season appearances in American Legion Baseball, he transferred to the Gophers program briefly and then gained wider recognition at the University of Minnesota and in Midwestern amateur circuits. Kindall signed with the Chicago Cubs organization out of college and began his professional development in the Minor League Baseball system with affiliates in the Pacific Coast League and International League, where he competed against future stars and former All-Star recipients.

Professional playing career

Kindall made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs during the 1956 season and played with the club through the late 1950s, sharing rosters with veterans and rising talents who were part of post-war reorganizations in MLB rosters. He served primarily as a second baseman and utility infielder, later playing for the Cleveland Indians and concluding his Major League career with the Minnesota Twins in the 1960s. During his tenure he faced pitchers from the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox while participating in interleague and intra-division matchups of the era. Kindall also saw time with Triple-A clubs including teams from the Pacific Coast League and competed against prospects who would join franchises like the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and St. Louis Cardinals. His playing career bridged eras that included integration milestones involving the Brooklyn Dodgers and expansion activity that led to teams such as the Kansas City Athletics and later Milwaukee Brewers.

Coaching and managerial career

After retiring as a player, Kindall transitioned to coaching and scouting roles with affiliations to Major League Baseball organizations before accepting a position at the University of Arizona as an assistant and then head coach. He led the Arizona Wildcats to multiple College World Series titles in the 1970s and 1980s, guiding rosters that produced future Major League Baseball players, All-American athletes, and Gold Glove candidates. Kindall's staff often included assistants who had backgrounds with programs such as the University of Southern California, Arizona State University, and University of California, Los Angeles while scheduling non-conference series against teams from the Southeastern Conference, Big Ten Conference, and Pacific-10 Conference. He emphasized fundamentals that drew upon coaching techniques used in World Series preparation and minor league instruction, sending numerous players into the Major League Baseball draft and professional organizations including the New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, and Cincinnati Reds. Later in his career, Kindall contributed to television and radio broadcasts alongside commentators from networks that covered College World Series play and provided advisory work for USA Baseball and regional scouting combines.

Personal life and legacy

Kindall lived in Tucson, Arizona for much of his post-playing life, contributing to local baseball clinics, youth programs affiliated with Little League Baseball, and alumni events for the University of Arizona Wildcats. He was known among peers from the Baseball Writers' Association of America era, former teammates from the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins rosters, and collegiate rivals from programs like Arizona State Sun Devils and Stanford Cardinal. Kindall's influence extended through proteges who became managers, coaches, and front-office executives with franchises including the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers. Tributes at Hi Corbett Field and during College World Series broadcasts acknowledged his contributions to both professional and amateur baseball communities.

Honors and awards

Kindall's accomplishments were recognized with inductions into halls of fame and awards from institutions such as the University of Arizona Athletics Hall of Fame, regional sports halls, and baseball organizations. He was honored at College World Series ceremonies and by organizations including the American Baseball Coaches Association and the Minor League Baseball Hall of Fame affiliates. Posthumous remembrances cited his championships and coaching milestones, and his name appears in commemorations alongside other notable figures from Major League Baseball history and collegiate baseball, including fellow coaches and inductees from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Category:1935 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Major League Baseball second basemen Category:Chicago Cubs players Category:Cleveland Indians players Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:Arizona Wildcats baseball coaches