Matt Keough, whose professional baseball career included him playing for teams like the Oakland Athletics and The New York Yankees, has died at the age of 64. The Oakland A’s announced the sad news on Saturday, May 2, but did not disclose details over how he passed. “Matt was a great baseball man and a proud Oakland A,” executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane said in a statement. “He had an incredible passion for the game and we were lucky to have him and his wealth of knowledge alongside us for the years he worked as a special assistant.”
The Pomona, California native was very successful in the world of baseball many decades ago before he developed a whole new fan base when he started appearing on reality television. Here are 5 things you should know about him.
1: Impressive Stats. Keough was primarily known for being part of the “Five Aces” in the Oakland A’s rotation in the early 80’s alongside Rick Langford, Steve McCatty, Brian Kingman and Mike Norris. Some of his accolades that he received included an American League Comeback Player of the Year award in 1980.
2: Major Incident. He was in critical condition after he was hit in the head by a foul ball while sitting in the third base dugout at Scottsdale Stadium during a game in 1992. Keough eventually recovered from the injury.
3: Runs In The Family. Keough came from a line of family members who have a history with playing baseball. His father Marty Keough played in the majors while his son Shane was a minor league outfielder from 2006 through 2010.
4: Reality Television Fame. He appeared on The Real Housewives of Orange County in its earlier seasons with his wife Jeana Keough, 64, and their three children Shane, Kara and Colton. A big part of Jeana’s storyline revolved around her venting about the problems in their marriage to the other cast members. They later separated.
5: More Heartbreak. His daughter Kara, who just went through her own personal tragedy when her newborn son died tragically during childbirth, wrote a very emotional dedication to Matt on her Instagram. “Daddy, please take care of my son,” she wrote alongside many photos of them together. “Teach him the circle changeup and how to find forever friends. You’re on grandpa duty in heaven now. Xoxo, Hammerhead.”