Derrill “Dee” Kline
Derrill “Dee” Kline graduated from the Everett Area High School in 1966. Dee was selected as the MVP of the 1966 Warrior baseball team. After completing a successful and outstanding baseball career at Everett, he moved on to Shippensburg University to continue his educational and baseball pursuits.
Dee’s baseball career at Shippensburg was excellent. Dee was the starting first basemen in his sophomore, junior, and senior years at Shippensburg. During his junior year, he led the team in home runs, RBIs, and batting with a .425 average. In his senior year, he was selected co-captain of the team and was either the leader or almost the leader in every offensive category during his career at Shippensburg. He was also an exceptional defensive first baseman. Dee was named to the NCAA District II Mid-Atlantic All-American team where only one player was chosen per position on this team from all Division I, II & III colleges & universities in NY, PA, Delaware & Maryland. Dee was selected as the first baseman! His profile on the Shippensburg Baseball Roster Program was “Power with stick and good glove.” Following his senior year, Dee was presented with the LT. Ray Ellis Memorial Award as the most outstanding male athlete on campus.
In 1986, Derrill was selected to the inaugural Shippensburg University Sports Hall of Fame. A quote from the Shippensburg’s Hall of Fame web site states “Derrill “Dee” Kline made a significant impact on the Shippensburg University baseball team in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Dee helped Shippensburg to gain its first winning baseball team in several years….” Considering that this was Shippensburg’s first Sports Hall of Fame class, with all the athletes to choose from, Dee’s selection to this inaugural class was quite an honor.
After graduation from Shippensburg, Dee remained on campus as an assistant baseball coach under the leadership of Head Coach Art Fairchild. During his tenure as an assistant coach, Shippensburg received its first bid to the NCAA tournament. Coach Fairchild said, “Dee did a tremendous job during the past three years. He went beyond what was expected of him.”
In 1972, Dee was named player-manager of the Shippensburg’s Triple A’s semi-pro baseball team that played in the Franklin County league. During his two years with the Triple A’s, the team compiled a 79-9 record, including two league championships. Dee was named to the Franklin County all-star team in both years. Also, the team finished in third place in the highly regarded York Colonial tournament
An article written in the Chamberburg Public-Opinion sports’ section declared, upon Derrill’s career change to Norfolk, Virginia, “Kline leaves behind his credential that would make any baseball player proud. The hard-swinging left-hander, who manned the first base sack like he owned it…. Here, as Fairchild’s right- hand man, he helped the Raiders finish at the top in their last three campaigns.”
Dee was working for the Fidelity Union Life Insurance Company when the Aetna Life & Casualty Company offered him a regional position in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. He was going to start a new phase in his life, including a new career position, and finding a new baseball team to play for and coach. In 1974, while playing for the Chesapeake Athletic team in the Norfolk City League, he was named to the all-star team. The following year, Dee became the player/manager for the Fett Baseball Club & continued in that role from 1975 to 1978. He also coached the Mary Jane Bakery baseball team to the Thoroughbred World Series Championship in 1979. From 1979 to 1990 Dee only played in tournament baseball, including the distinguished York Colonial tournament. In this last York Colonial tournament, playing for Everett, the team finished second out of 48 teams. This was especially rewarding for Dee because one of his teammates was his younger brother Mike. Dee’s proud parents, Willard and Mary, were there to watch their sons participate in the game that they all loved. Dee was named the MVP of the tournament at the age of 42.
Dee was also a scout for the Cincinnati Reds from 1974 to 1984 and with the Atlanta Braves from 1984 to 1990
After a few career changes, Dee accepted a position of senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Global Van Lines and moved to Orange County, California, where he and his family still reside.
In 2006 and 2007, Dee coached the Southern California Bulldogs to back to back 18U National Championships in the Triple Crown Sports competition. This tournament is played each year in Omaha, Nebraska during the College World Series. The team’s record at this national tournament in these two seasons was 15 – 0. Dee’s son, Jonathan, was a member of both teams.
In 1990 Dee founded The Incentive Group, Inc., which is an organization that orchestrates national and regional sales meetings, employee and customer incentive trips, as well as customer entertainment.
Today, Dee lives in Yorba Linda, California, with Teresa, his wife of 34 years. His two sons, Anthony and Jonathan, live in San Francisco & Orange County respectively.
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Derrill “Dee” Kline graduated from the Everett Area High School in 1966. Dee was selected as the MVP of the 1966 Warrior baseball team. After completing a successful and outstanding baseball career at Everett, he moved on to Shippensburg University to continue his educational and baseball pursuits.
Dee’s baseball career at Shippensburg was excellent. Dee was the starting first basemen in his sophomore, junior, and senior years at Shippensburg. During his junior year, he led the team in home runs, RBIs, and batting with a .425 average. In his senior year, he was selected co-captain of the team and was either the leader or almost the leader in every offensive category during his career at Shippensburg. He was also an exceptional defensive first baseman. Dee was named to the NCAA District II Mid-Atlantic All-American team where only one player was chosen per position on this team from all Division I, II & III colleges & universities in NY, PA, Delaware & Maryland. Dee was selected as the first baseman! His profile on the Shippensburg Baseball Roster Program was “Power with stick and good glove.” Following his senior year, Dee was presented with the LT. Ray Ellis Memorial Award as the most outstanding male athlete on campus.
In 1986, Derrill was selected to the inaugural Shippensburg University Sports Hall of Fame. A quote from the Shippensburg’s Hall of Fame web site states “Derrill “Dee” Kline made a significant impact on the Shippensburg University baseball team in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Dee helped Shippensburg to gain its first winning baseball team in several years….” Considering that this was Shippensburg’s first Sports Hall of Fame class, with all the athletes to choose from, Dee’s selection to this inaugural class was quite an honor.
After graduation from Shippensburg, Dee remained on campus as an assistant baseball coach under the leadership of Head Coach Art Fairchild. During his tenure as an assistant coach, Shippensburg received its first bid to the NCAA tournament. Coach Fairchild said, “Dee did a tremendous job during the past three years. He went beyond what was expected of him.”
In 1972, Dee was named player-manager of the Shippensburg’s Triple A’s semi-pro baseball team that played in the Franklin County league. During his two years with the Triple A’s, the team compiled a 79-9 record, including two league championships. Dee was named to the Franklin County all-star team in both years. Also, the team finished in third place in the highly regarded York Colonial tournament
An article written in the Chamberburg Public-Opinion sports’ section declared, upon Derrill’s career change to Norfolk, Virginia, “Kline leaves behind his credential that would make any baseball player proud. The hard-swinging left-hander, who manned the first base sack like he owned it…. Here, as Fairchild’s right- hand man, he helped the Raiders finish at the top in their last three campaigns.”
Dee was working for the Fidelity Union Life Insurance Company when the Aetna Life & Casualty Company offered him a regional position in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area. He was going to start a new phase in his life, including a new career position, and finding a new baseball team to play for and coach. In 1974, while playing for the Chesapeake Athletic team in the Norfolk City League, he was named to the all-star team. The following year, Dee became the player/manager for the Fett Baseball Club & continued in that role from 1975 to 1978. He also coached the Mary Jane Bakery baseball team to the Thoroughbred World Series Championship in 1979. From 1979 to 1990 Dee only played in tournament baseball, including the distinguished York Colonial tournament. In this last York Colonial tournament, playing for Everett, the team finished second out of 48 teams. This was especially rewarding for Dee because one of his teammates was his younger brother Mike. Dee’s proud parents, Willard and Mary, were there to watch their sons participate in the game that they all loved. Dee was named the MVP of the tournament at the age of 42.
Dee was also a scout for the Cincinnati Reds from 1974 to 1984 and with the Atlanta Braves from 1984 to 1990
After a few career changes, Dee accepted a position of senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Global Van Lines and moved to Orange County, California, where he and his family still reside.
In 2006 and 2007, Dee coached the Southern California Bulldogs to back to back 18U National Championships in the Triple Crown Sports competition. This tournament is played each year in Omaha, Nebraska during the College World Series. The team’s record at this national tournament in these two seasons was 15 – 0. Dee’s son, Jonathan, was a member of both teams.
In 1990 Dee founded The Incentive Group, Inc., which is an organization that orchestrates national and regional sales meetings, employee and customer incentive trips, as well as customer entertainment.
Today, Dee lives in Yorba Linda, California, with Teresa, his wife of 34 years. His two sons, Anthony and Jonathan, live in San Francisco & Orange County respectively.
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Class of 2017
Bedford County Sports Hall of Fame
Bedford County, Pennsylvania
Bedford County, Pennsylvania