Keith Comstock

Keith Comstock
Keith Comstock
	Comstock with the San Francisco Giants in 1987
	Pitcher
	Born: December 23, 1955 (age 68); San Francisco, California, U.S.
	Batted: Left Threw: Left
Professional debut
	MLB: April 3, 1984, for the Minnesota Twins
	NPB: April 18, 1985, for the Yomiuri Giants
Last appearance
	NPB: August 16, 1986, for the Yomiuri Giants
	MLB: August 5, 1991, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	10–7
Earned run average	4.06
Strikeouts	142
NPB statistics
Win–loss record	8–10
Earned run average	4.47
Strikeouts	94
Teams
	Minnesota Twins (1984); Yomiuri Giants (1985–1986); San Francisco Giants (1987); San Diego Padres (1987–1988); Seattle Mariners (1989–1991);

Keith Martin Comstock (born December 23, 1955) is an American baseball coach and former relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of six seasons, spending time with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners. He also played for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and several Minor League Baseball teams in various countries.

Comstock has served as the rehab pitching coordinator for the Texas Rangers since 2007. He is best known for appearing on a memorable 1989 baseball card pretending to be hit in the crotch by a ball.

Playing career[edit]

Comstock was drafted by the California Angels in 1976 and played for their minor league affiliate, the Idaho Falls Angels. He spent the next eight years in the minor leagues. According to a 1990 article in Sports Illustrated, in 1983 the Oakland Athletics organization sold him to the Detroit Tigers for $100 and a bag of balls, which he had to deliver himself.^[1] In 1984, he was called up to the majors by the Minnesota Twins. From 1985 to 1986, he played in Japan for Nippon Professional Baseball's Yomiuri Giants, and from 1987 to 1991 he played for the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners as well as minor league teams.^[1]^[2]

In 1989, while playing for the Las Vegas Stars Triple-A team, Comstock appeared on a memorable baseball card pretending to be hit in the crotch by a ball. ESPN called it "the funniest baseball card ever made."^[2] From 1989 to 1991, he played for the Seattle Mariners. By the end of his career, he had played in teams across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Japan, and Puerto Rico.^[1] He subsequently went into coaching, and is currently the rehab pitching coordinator for the Texas Rangers.^[2]

Personal life[edit]

Comstock was born in San Francisco and went to high school in San Carlos, California.

Comstock is the great-grandson of the former United States Postal Inspector and politician Anthony Comstock. He lives in Arizona with his wife, Kathleen Comstock. He has three children, Christine Fox, Daniel Comstock and Alexandria, three granddaughters, and three grandsons.

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b ^c Lidz, Franz (June 4, 1990). "Waiting to Pop His Cork". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 72, no. 23. p. 74. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c Sanchez, Robert (August 21, 2019). "'You're the guy with the ball to the crotch': The inside story behind the funniest baseball card ever made". ESPN. Retrieved August 21, 2019.

External links[edit]

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
Keith Comstock at Baseball Biography

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[Franz-1] Lidz, Franz (June 4, 1990). "Waiting to Pop His Cork". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 72, no. 23. p. 74. Retrieved August 21, 2019.

[Sanchez-2] Sanchez, Robert (August 21, 2019). "'You're the guy with the ball to the crotch': The inside story behind the funniest baseball card ever made". ESPN. Retrieved August 21, 2019.

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