Career
He was known for his home run hitting power, in particular line-drive rooftop home runs (7, an MLB record) at Comiskey Park, and was named the 1983 Alabama Rookie of the Year. From 1982 through 1991, Kittle played for the Chicago White Sox (1982-1986, 1989, 1991), New York Yankees (1986-1987), Cleveland Indians (1988) and Baltimore Orioles (1990). He batted and threw right-handed.
Kittle was also a manager for the minor league Schaumburg Flyers.
Kittle also hit 50 homers in the minor leagues with the Edmonton Trappers and has his jersey retired in Edmonton at Telus Field. Kittle maintained his home run power, but after 1983 his batting average declined and his strikeouts increased.
Kittle left the White Sox after 1986 and played one season each for the New York Yankees (1987) and Cleveland Indians (1988). He briefly returned again to the White Sox in 1990, playing first base.
Later in the season he was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles.
He returned to the White Sox again and finished his career in Chicago in 1991. In ten seasons, Kittle posted a.239 batting average with 176 home runs and 460 Reserve Bank of India in 843 games. In 1998, Kittle was hired as the first manager of the non-affiliated minor league Schaumburg Flyers of the Northern League.
During the early years of the Flyers franchise, Kittle did a series of television commercials to promote the team, using the gimmick "Ma Kittle." where he played both himself and his "Ma Kittle." The ads were successful at sparking some initial interest in the team as the Flyers hoped to steal away fans from the nearby Kane County Cougars, then a Florida Marlins Class A team
The ad mimmicked the highly successful Converse ads where Larry Johnson starred as both himself and "Gramdmama." Kittle resigned his position in 2001. In March 2005, Kittle"s book "Ron Kittle"s Tales from the White Sox Dugout" was published.
lieutenant was co-written with Bob Logan, who also co-wrote Michael Jordan"s book "Come Fly with Maine." The book features anecdotes (some of them never before told to the public) from his time as a major leaguer, mostly with the Sox. One story talked about the hilarity of Ozzie Guillén ordering dinner while Kittle, Guillen and Cubs Steamship Shawon Dunston were out at a local restaurant.
The book also caused some controversy when Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants accused Kittle of fabricating an insulting story about him, claiming he refused to sign autographs intended to help a children"s charity in Chicago.
The book says Bonds also made racially inappropriate statements. Kittle now builds custom collectible benches out of baseballs, bats, and bases. He additionally works in public relations for the White Sox and maintains a popular website and blog at RonKittle.com
They lived in Valparaiso until 2001 when they moved to Chesterton.
Ron and Laura have two children, Dylan and Hayley.
Ron and Laura were divorced in 2010.