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Revision as of 06:52, 15 September 2022 by Bloom6132 (talk | contribs) (adding more info and sources)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) American baseball player (1948–2022) Baseball playerJohn Gamble | |
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Shortstop | |
Born: (1948-02-10)February 10, 1948 Reno, Nevada | |
Died: September 1, 2022(2022-09-01) (aged 74) Orovada, Nevada | |
Batted: RightThrew: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 7, 1972, for the Detroit Tigers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
May 25, 1973, for the Detroit Tigers | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .000 |
Home runs | 0 |
RBI | 0 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
|
John Robert Gamble Jr. (February 10, 1948 – September 1, 2022) was an American professional baseball shortstop who played thirteen games for the Detroit Tigers in two seasons of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1972 to 1973. He batted and threw right handed and served primarily as a pinch runner.
Early life
Gamble was born in Reno, Nevada, on February 10, 1948. He was the first of three sons of John Sr. and Muriel Gamble, both of whom worked as teachers. Gamble attended Carson High School in nearby Carson City, Nevada, where he starred in basketball and football in addition to baseball. He posted batting averages of .479 and .420 during his junior and senior years, respectively, which caught the attention of scouts and led to him being offered a baseball scholarship by the University of the Pacific. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round of the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.
Professional career
Gamble played seven seasons in the minor leagues from 1966 to 1972. He distinguished himself with his base stealing ability and penchant of turning double play, despite leading the league in errors by a shortstop and his mediocre offensive performance. He was eventually acquired by the Detroit Tigers in the 1970 Rule 5 draft. Gamble made his MLB debut for the franchise on September 7, 1972, at the age of 24, entering as a pinch hitter and popping out in his only plate appearance in a 9–0 loss against the Baltimore Orioles.
Personal life
Gamble married Dawn in 1969. Together, they had two children: Cory and Tawnya. They eventually divorced. After retiring from professional baseball, Gamble worked for Washoe County Parks until 2005. He also coached high school baseball and softball in his hometown.
Gamble died on September 1, 2022, while dove hunting with his family in Orovada, Nevada. He was 74, and suffered from a cardiac event prior to his death.
References
- ^ "John Gamble Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ Moody, Chad. "John Gamble". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
- "John Gamble Minor Leagues Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- "September 7, 1972 Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles Box Score Play by Play and Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. September 7, 1972. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ Murray, Chris (September 14, 2022). "John Gamble, first local player to reach Major League Baseball, dies at age 74". Nevada Sports Network. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- "John Robert Gamble Jr. – Obituary". Sonoma Funeral Home. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
External sources
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- 1948 births
- 2022 deaths
- Detroit Tigers players
- New York Mets players
- Major League Baseball shortstops
- Baseball players from Nevada
- Ogden Dodgers players
- Daytona Beach Dodgers players
- Montgomery Rebels players
- Toledo Mud Hens players
- Evansville Triplets players
- Memphis Blues players
- Sportspeople from Reno, Nevada