Former Wild Things manager Jelks dies at 55
Greg Jelks, the former major league infielder who managed the Washington Wild Things during the 2008 season, died Thursday on a flight to Australia. He was 55.
Jelks died of an apparent heart attack. A native of Alabama, Jelks was visiting his mother there for the holidays and was returning to his home in Australia. Sometime after boarding a connecting flight in Germany, Jelks suffered a fatal heart attack. He had fallen asleep during the flight and could not be woken when the plane landed in Sydney.
Jelks managed three teams in the Frontier League and guided the Evansville Otters to the championship in 2006. He managed Evansville from 2002 through 2006, taking to the Otters to the finals in two his last three seasons. Jelks was the Slippery Rock Sliders’ manager in 2007 and was hired as the Wild Things’ manager for the 2008 season. Jelks’ one-year stay in Washington produced a 48-48 record and the team missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, finishing three games out of the final wild-card spot.
Jelks played in 10 games as a first baseman and third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1987. He played 11 years in minor and independent leagues.
After his playing career in the United States ended, Jelks moved to Australia and became an Australian citizen. He played for the Australian National Team in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, the 1999 Intercontinental Cup and the 2000 Olympic Games. He was a coach for Australia in 2006 World Baseball Classic.
“Greg was a tremendous influence on hundreds of ballplayers during his time in the Frontier League,” said Steve Tahsler, the league’s deputy commissioner who worked with Jelks as general manager in both Evansville and Slippery Rock. “He brought an upbeat, infectious personality to the field and truly loved teaching the game of baseball.”