He retired with a .965 fielding percentage. A six-time All-Star, Kessinger won the National League Gold Glove for shortstops in and . In three different seasons with the Cubs, he turned 100 or more double plays. Kessinger had 6,212 assists during his career, ranking him 14th all-time among major league shortstops. In 1977 he was named the recipient of the Danny Thomas Memorial Award, for his exemplary Christian Spirit in Major League Baseball and, the following year he was the recipient of the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, presented annually to the Major League baseball player who both on and off the field best exemplifies the character of Lou Gehrig. Kessinger received 0.5% of the vote on the Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1985, his only appearance on the balloting. Personal Kessinger married Carolyn Crawley—also from Forrest City—in 1965. Their son Keith Kessinger was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1989 and had a brief career (nine years, minors and majors, in the Reds and Cubs organizations) as a professional baseball player. Another son, Kevin, was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1992. Prior to the 1991 season, Kessinger was hired as the head baseball coach at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi. Kessinger would spend six years as the Ole Miss skipper, leading the Rebels to four 30-win seasons. His 1995 team produced a school record for wins, going 40-22 and earning the school's first NCAA Regional bid since 1977. Ole Miss finished on the verge of its first College World Series appearance since 1972, placing second at the NCAA Atlantic I Regional behind host Florida State. Both of his sons had the opportunity to play for their father at Ole Miss. Following the 1996 season, Kessinger resigned his head coaching position to become Mississippi's Associate Athletics Director for Internal Affairs, while concurrently serving as Chair of the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. He finished with a six-year record of 185-153. Kessinger was an honoree at the 1976 Chicago Baseball Writers Diamond Dinner, where he was presented with the Ken Hubbs Award, given for exemplary conduct both on and off the field. He has also honored by the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame, Wrigley Field Walk of Fame, Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, National High School Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He was also