Keith Benjamin Ramsey (born March 5, 1980 Inglewood, California) is a former professional baseball player who played from 2002 to 2012.
Keith's uncle, John Ramsey, was the public address announcer of the Los Angeles Dodgers starting in 1958 until his retirement in 1982.
He was selected as the CIF Goalie of the year and established school records in shutouts and goals against average.
One of Ramsey's friends during his high school career, Kriston Palomo, was killed during a game by a runner's batting helmet which hit him in the larynx.
From that day on, Ramsey has tried to wear Palomo's #29 whenever possible in his collegiate and professional careers and, after each victory, Keith points to the sky to honor his friend.
As a junior in 2001, Ramsey switched to the University of Florida where he put up a 4–3 record with 9 saves and a 2.24 ERA as a reliever.
In the SEC Tournament and the NCAA postseason, Ramsey made four appearances and posted a perfect 0.00 ERA while collecting a save.
Keith was selected in the 10th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball draft (304th overall) by the Cleveland Indians, and he signed with them.
It was just the fourth nine-inning perfect game in Carolina League history and the first since a 1978 gem by Marty Bystrom for the Peninsula Pilots.
Keith threw just 97 pitches in the contest, two changeups, two splitters, 35 curveballs, and 58 fastballs in the 82–84 mph range.
The closest that the Pelicans came to a hit was a line drive to right center that Jonathan Van Every made a "highlight-reel catch" of for the second out in the ninth inning.
The weather along with the fact that it was technically a meaningless game since the playoff spots had already been decided, led to some pregame discussion of a cancellation.
The excitement of the perfect game was credited with picking up the team's spirits and giving them the momentum they needed going into the playoffs.
During the season, Ramsey also got two starts for the Buffalo Bisons in the International League where his record was 1–1 with a 3.60 ERA.
Ramsey was in Peoria to work on his changeup and tweak his mechanics in an effort to make him throw harder.
Reflecting on this stint years later, Keith has stated that he had "tried to become something he wasn't ... and that's kind of where things went downhill."
The Texas Rangers decided to take a chance on him for the 2007 season and signed him to a minor league contract.
April 2008 saw Ramsey pitching in the Chinese Professional Baseball League of Taiwan for the Brother Elephants.
Returning to the United States, Ramsey found work back in the Atlantic League with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs who are owned by Hall of Fame member Brooks Robinson.
Keith is the rhythm guitarist and lead singer in a "surf rock" band called Flava Do.
On August 20, 2006, Ramsey pitched six innings in a Patriots victory and then, after the game, put on a concert for the fans with his brother Timmy who also plays in Flava Do.