How Butler County shaped Pirates manager Don Kelly’s career in baseball, and continues to have an impact
PITTSBURGH — Don Kelly’s time in Butler was brief.
What the Pittsburgh Pirates manager learned from that community will last a lifetime.
Kelly, 45, was born at Butler Memorial Hospital in February of 1980. His family left the town three months later as his father took a job in Coraopolis.
“I wasn’t there very long,” a smiling Kelly said of his life in Butler.
But his baseball roots came from there.
Tom Kelly, his father, is a 1973 Butler graduate. Tom’s wife, Evie Matonak Kelly, graduated from the same school a year later.
Kelly’s father was the starting center fielder for the Golden Tornado baseball team. He played first base and center for Meridian of the Butler County American Legion Baseball League and played for Butler County Community College.
He was a teammate of Andy and Jimmy Matonak, his brothers-in-law, along the way.
“At least one of those guys was on our team at BC3,” the elder Kelly said. “We had good teams there. We made the playoffs, got to the regional in Hagerstown, Md. My high school teams never won any championships, but we could play. Ron Ordy, Rick Steighner, Steve Rekich ... we had some great players.
“Those were fun times.”
Little did he know back then, those times would eventually groom a big league manager.
“My love and passion for baseball, yeah, I’d have to say it came from my dad,” Don Kelly said. “He taught me the game. He coached me when I was young. I have a lot of good memories that way.”
Tom was Don’s Little League coach in the Mt. Lebanon area. Don played shortstop and pitched for his dad’s team.
He eventually became only the 11th player in major league history to play all 10 positions (including DH) during his career.
“I have no idea where that (versatility) came from,” Tom said, laughing. “He only played those two positions for me. But I could see he had a future in baseball, even back in Little League. He cared about the game. He played so hard. He kept wanting to learn as much as he could about baseball.
“He always put the bat on the ball, definitely a contact hitter. He worked on his game all the time.”
Kelly struck out only 20 times in his collegiate baseball career at Point Park University. He is the Pioneers’ all-time leading hitter with a .413 batting average. His Point Park teams played games at Pullman Park.
“I’ve always had uncles, aunts, cousins, up that way,” Kelly said. “Butler has been a big part of our family.”
Tom said his grandfather played semi-pro baseball, but his father wasn’t a baseball player.
“I’ve heard stories about when my grandfather played,” Tom said. “I was always into baseball. When Donny came to Pittsburgh (as Pirates bench coach), we were thrilled. When he was named manager, we were ecstatic.”
Kelly’s parents don’t get to a whole lot of their son’s games at PNC Park, however.
They hit the road for baseball games — but not his games.
Kelly’s three sons — Brett, 16, Luke, 13, and Brooks, 10 — all play travel ball for the Pittsburgh Spikes. Their grandparents often serve as their mode of transportation.
Don’s family, and his parents, now live in Mars.
“Carrie (Don’s wife) needs a lot of help,” her father-in-law said. “We run the boys out to their games, wherever they’re at. We love every minute of it. All three of those boys absolutely love baseball.”
Just like their dad.
“My dream was to make the major leagues as a player,” Don Kelly said. “I never had the vision of managing. I got into scouting and player development when I was through playing. Once I experienced coaching for the first time (Houston Astros first base coach in 2019), I knew this was what I wanted to do.”
A Mt. Lebanon graduate, Kelly could have lived anywhere in the Pittsburgh region once he joined the Pirates coaching staff.
“We chose Mars because it’s a great community ... a good place to raise our kids,” he said.
