1. Early Life and Career
James Edward Gentile's early life and the beginning of his professional baseball journey laid the groundwork for his extensive career in both American and Japanese baseball.
1.1. Signing and Minor League Career
Born in San Francisco, California, Gentile was a formidable left-handed slugger, listed at 6 ft 3 in and 210 lb (210 lb). He began his professional career when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as a high school pitcher in 1952. In his first minor league season, he pitched to a 2-6 win-loss record. The following year, he was converted from a pitcher to a first baseman. Gentile spent eight years in the minors for the Dodgers organization, primarily due to the presence of All-Star Gil Hodges and Norm Larker at first base in the major league club. Despite this, he dominated the minor leagues, leading two separate leagues in home runs.
1.2. Major League Debut
Gentile made his major league debut on September 10, 1957. On September 24, 1957, he started at first base for the Dodgers at Brooklyn's famed Ebbets Field in the final game ever played at the historic ballpark. He was later replaced by Pee Wee Reese in the top of the fifth inning, with Reese moving to third base and Gil Hodges shifting from third to first. The game's final batter, Dee Fondy of the Pittsburgh Pirates, hit a ground ball to Don Zimmer at shortstop, who threw to Hodges at first base for the game's final out.
2. Major League Baseball Career
Gentile's Major League Baseball career spanned nine seasons, during which he played for five different teams and achieved significant statistical milestones, particularly during his tenure with the Baltimore Orioles.
2.1. Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
Gentile's initial years in MLB were with the Brooklyn Dodgers, who later relocated to become the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played sparingly for the team in 1957 and 1958, appearing in a total of 16 games across these two seasons.
2.2. Baltimore Orioles
In 1960, Gentile was traded to the Baltimore Orioles, where he quickly established himself as a regular starter and a prominent power hitter. In his first full season with the Orioles, he was named to the 1960 All-Star Game.
His most successful season came in 1961, where he achieved career highs in several offensive categories. He posted a .302 batting average, hit 46 home runs, and recorded 141 runs batted in (RBI). He also tallied 96 runs, 147 hits, 25 doubles, and drew 96 walks. His advanced statistics were equally impressive, with a .423 on-base percentage, a .646 slugging average, and a 1.069 OPS. Gentile finished third in the MVP voting that year, behind Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. Additionally, he hit five grand slams in 1961, including two consecutive grand slams in a single game, setting an American League record that stood until Don Mattingly hit six in 1987. He was also selected to the All-Star Game in both 1961 and 1962, making him a three-time All-Star.
2.3. Kansas City Athletics, Houston Astros, and Cleveland Indians
Following his peak years with the Orioles, Gentile's performance and playing time began to decline. He subsequently played for the Kansas City Athletics, Houston Astros, and Cleveland Indians. His offensive output decreased during these stints. In 1967, playing in Triple-A for a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate, he batted .236 with 13 home runs. In 1968, still in Triple-A for the same organization, his numbers further dropped to a .185 batting average with 8 home runs, indicating a noticeable decline in his abilities.
2.4. MLB Career Statistics
Throughout his nine-season MLB career, Gentile played in 936 games.
| Year | Team | Games | Plate Appearances | At Bats | Runs | Hits | Doubles | Triples | Home Runs | Total Bases | RBI | Stolen Bases | Caught Stealing | Sacrifice Bunts | Sacrifice Flies | Walks | Intentional Walks | Hit by Pitch | Strikeouts | Double Plays | Batting Average | On-base Percentage | Slugging Percentage | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | BRO/LAD | 4 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 | .286 | .667 | .952 |
| 1958 | BRO/LAD | 12 | 34 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | .133 | .235 | .167 | .402 |
| 1960 | BAL | 138 | 464 | 384 | 67 | 112 | 17 | 0 | 21 | 192 | 98 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 68 | 5 | 7 | 72 | 8 | .292 | .403 | .500 | .903 |
| 1961 | BAL | 148 | 601 | 486 | 96 | 147 | 25 | 2 | 46 | 314 | 141 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 96 | 5 | 11 | 106 | 12 | .302 | .423 | .646 | 1.069 |
| 1962 | BAL | 152 | 639 | 545 | 80 | 137 | 21 | 1 | 33 | 259 | 87 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 77 | 16 | 7 | 100 | 13 | .251 | .346 | .475 | .821 |
| 1963 | BAL | 145 | 582 | 496 | 65 | 123 | 16 | 1 | 24 | 213 | 72 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 76 | 9 | 6 | 101 | 14 | .248 | .353 | .429 | .782 |
| 1964 | KCA | 136 | 533 | 439 | 71 | 110 | 10 | 0 | 28 | 204 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 84 | 6 | 4 | 122 | 9 | .251 | .372 | .465 | .837 |
| 1965 | KCA/HOU | 119 | 397 | 345 | 36 | 84 | 16 | 1 | 17 | 153 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 8 | 6 | 98 | 8 | .243 | .337 | .443 | .780 |
| 1966 | HOU/CLE | 82 | 222 | 191 | 18 | 41 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 77 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 57 | 4 | .215 | .321 | .403 | .724 |
| MLB Totals (9 years) | 936 | 3479 | 2922 | 434 | 759 | 113 | 6 | 179 | 1421 | 549 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 32 | 475 | 54 | 45 | 663 | 69 | .260 | .368 | .486 | .854 | |
3. Japanese Baseball Career (NPB)
After his Major League Baseball career, James Gentile transitioned to Japanese professional baseball, playing for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. His single season in Japan was notable for both his struggles with injuries and a unique incident involving a home run and a pinch runner.
3.1. Joining Kintetsu Buffaloes
In 1969, James Gentile joined the Kintetsu Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). His registered name in Japan was ジムタイルJimutairuJapanese, a combination of his nickname "Jim" and his family name "Gentile". At the time, the Kintetsu Buffaloes were perennial last-place finishers, and Gentile was expected to be a much-needed power hitter for the team.
3.2. Performance, Injuries, and Unique Usage
Gentile's long professional career and weight gain had taken a toll on his body, particularly his legs, which were in a critical condition upon his arrival in Japan. He suffered a knee injury in the opening game of the season, leading to a cycle of repeated injuries and de-registrations from the active roster. He ended up starting only 12 games throughout the season, predominantly appearing as a pinch hitter. Due to his inability to run properly, a pinch runner was typically sent in for him as soon as he reached base, unless he hit a home run. At that time, the Pacific League had not yet adopted the designated hitter rule, so when Gentile did start, he was limited to playing first base due to his restricted defensive range.
3.3. Unique "Home Run and Pinch Runner" Episode
A particularly unique event occurred on May 18, 1969, during a game against the Hankyu Braves at Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium. Gentile, making his first start after being re-registered, hit a solo home run off Hankyu starter Mitsuhiro Adachi in the second inning. However, as he ran towards first base, he suffered a left hamstring strain and collapsed. Recognizing that he was unable to complete his trot around the bases, the umpires made an unprecedented decision to allow a pinch runner to complete the circuit for him. This marked the first time in Japanese professional baseball history that a batter was replaced by a pinch runner after hitting a home run. While the home run and RBI were credited to Gentile, the run scored was officially recorded for the pinch runner, Takao Ise.
Ise later recounted that Hankyu catcher Koji Okamura playfully teased him, asking, "How does it feel to hit a home run?" which made him feel embarrassed. Interestingly, Ise himself later hit a game-winning home run in the eighth inning off Tetsuya Yoneda, allowing him to genuinely round the bases on his own terms.
After this incident, Gentile returned to the lineup in June, but first base duties were mostly handled by either Ise or Hitoshi Ogawa. Due to his unique usage, Gentile never scored a run from his own hits other than his home runs throughout the season. His final NPB record showed 8 home runs but only 7 runs scored. This unusual statistic (having fewer runs scored than home runs) is a rare occurrence in baseball, typically only happening when a pinch runner is used after a home run. As of the end of the 2021 season, Gentile's case remains the only instance in Japanese professional baseball where a player had more home runs than runs scored.
3.4. NPB Career Statistics
Gentile played one season in Nippon Professional Baseball.
| Year | Team | Games | Plate Appearances | At Bats | Runs | Hits | Doubles | Triples | Home Runs | Total Bases | RBI | Stolen Bases | Caught Stealing | Sacrifice Bunts | Sacrifice Flies | Walks | Intentional Walks | Hit by Pitch | Strikeouts | Double Plays | Batting Average | On-base Percentage | Slugging Percentage | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Kintetsu | 65 | 102 | 86 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 47 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 23 | 1 | .256 | .373 | .547 | .919 |
| NPB Totals (1 year) | 65 | 102 | 86 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 47 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 23 | 1 | .256 | .373 | .547 | .919 | |
4. Managerial Career
After his playing career, James Gentile transitioned into a managerial role in minor league baseball in the United States. He managed the Fort Worth Cats when the team returned to baseball in 2001 and 2002. Later, in 2005, he managed the Mid-Missouri Mavericks of the Frontier League.
5. Awards and Honors
James Gentile received several significant accolades throughout and after his baseball career. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1989. He was selected for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game three times, in 1960, 1961, and 1962. In 1961, he was also the American League RBI champion, sharing the title.
6. 1961 RBI Record Controversy
In 1961, James Gentile's 141 RBI initially placed him second in the American League, just one behind Roger Maris's reported 142 RBI. However, an analysis by Retrosheet, a baseball statistics organization, later determined that Maris had been incorrectly credited with an RBI in a game on July 5, 1961, where he had reached base on an error. This correction meant that both Gentile and Maris officially had 141 RBI, making them co-champions for the league lead.
Gentile's contract with the Orioles in 1961 included a 5.00 K USD bonus if he led the league in RBI. Fifty years after the season, in 2010, the Orioles honored this agreement and presented Gentile with a check for 5.00 K USD at a game, acknowledging the long-standing statistical error.
7. Personal Life
James Gentile currently resides in Edmond, Oklahoma.