Olathe native sent to minor league camp

Haines City, Fla. (ap) The Kansas City Royals sent Kit Pellow to their minor league camp following Monday’s game with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pellow, who went to Olathe North High and Johnson County Community College, was drafted by the Royals in 1996 out of the University of Arkansas.

Pellow has played first, third, catcher and outfield. He has hit 20 or more home runs in the past four seasons, including a career-high 35 in 1999 with Class AAA Omaha.

He went 3-for-14 with one home run, two stolen bases and no strikeouts in his first big league camp.

Manager Tony Muser said Pellow is strong enough to hit the ball out to all fields, but needs to make better contact and cut down his strikeouts.

Knoblauch’s father dies at age 87 in Houston

Houston (ap) Ray Knoblauch, the father of Kansas City Royals outfielder Chuck Knoblauch and the coach who led Bellaire High School to four state baseball titles in 25 years, died early Monday of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 74.

Ray Knoblauch left Bellaire in 1986 with a 598-225 record, then spent seven years working for the Houston Independent School District before returning as Bellaire’s pitching coach from 1994 to 1997, when he retired.

Knoblauch was a pitcher with the Texas League’s Shreveport club in the 1950s before going into teaching and coaching.

Brothers Charles and Eddie, an outfielder for the Houston Buffs in the 1940s, also played minor league ball.