James Edward Gentile (born June 3, 1934), also nicknamed "Diamond Jim", is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Athletics, Houston Astros, and Cleveland Indians between 1957 and 1966. He was an All-Star from 1961 to 1963, and third in American League MVP voting in 1961.
Early life
Gentile was born on June 3, 1934, in San Francisco, California. He attended Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory School, graduating in 1952. He was both a top pitcher and hitter on its baseball team. The San Francisco Examiner selected him for its first team All-Star/All-City baseball teams in 1951 as a first baseman, and in 1952 as a pitcher. He was a starting pitcher in the 1952 East-West high school All-Star game in northern California. The Examiner selected him as the top left-handed pitcher during the 1946-53 high school seasons in the San Francisco area.
Gentile has been inducted into Sacred Heart's Athletic Hall of Fame. Sacred Heart produced other major league baseball players, such as Frank Bertaina, Joe Cronin (future Hall of Famer and American League president), Dolph Camilli, Harry Heilmann (Hall of Fame inductee), and Frank Zupo.
Professional baseball career
Gentile was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952, with a $30,000 signing bonus.
Dodgers organization
Gentile was a powerful, left-handed slugger listed at 6' 3", 210 lb. He played his first minor league season as a pitcher, earning a 2–6 win–loss record. The next year he was converted into a first baseman. He dominated the minors, leading two separate leagues in home runs; the 1953 Western League with 34, and the 1955 Southern Association with 28.
In 1956, playing for the Fort Worth Cats in the Double-A Texas League, Gentile had a .296 batting average, with 40 home runs, 115 runs batted in (RBI), 108 runs scored, 104 bases on balls, a .412 on-base percentage, and 1.003 OPS (on-base plus slugging). He was in the Texas League's top-three in home runs, runs batted in, walks and OPS. In 1957, for the Triple-A Montreal Royals, he hit .275, with 24 home runs, and 90 RBIs, and was in the International League's top-ten in home runs, RBIs and OPS.
During those same two years for the Dodgers, Gil Hodges hit .265, with 32 home runs and 87 RBIs (1956), and .299, with 27 home runs and 98 RBIs, and was named an all-star (1957). In those same two years, Larker hit .309 and .323 for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, though with only 13 and 12 home runs; but it was Larker who became Hodges backup in 1958–59, not Gentile (hitting .277 and .289 respectively as a Dodger). He had a down year for the Spokane Indians of the Pacific Coast League in 1958, but in 1959 he hit .288, with 27 home runs, 87 RBIs, and a .901 OPS for the St. Paul Saints of the Triple-A American Association.
Dodgers hall of fame catcher Roy Campanella gave Gentile the nickname “Diamond Jim”, because he was a diamond in the rough. As of June 2024, he was one of only five people still living who had played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Baltimore Orioles
On October 19, 1959, the Dodgers traded Gentile to the Baltimore Orioles for $50,000 and two players to be named later (Willy Miranda and Bill Lajoie). The Orioles had been trying to trade for Gentile for years, but the Dodgers had asked too much in return. He was named to the both 1960 All-Star Games in his first full season, with a hit in the July 11, 1960 first game. He did not play in the July 13, 1960 second all-star game, though he was on the American League roster.
He enjoyed his best season in 1961, hitting career highs of .302 batting average, 46 home runs, 141 runs batted in (see below), 96 runs, 147 hits, 25 doubles, 96 walks, .423 on-base percentage, .646 slugging average and 1.069 OPS. He finished third in the MVP ballot (behind Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris). In addition, Gentile hit five grand slams — (including two straight in one game) — setting an American League record that stood until Don Mattingly belted six in 1987.
In 1962, Gentile hit 33 home runs, with 87 RBIs, 80 runs, a .251 batting average and .821 OPS. In 1963, hit .248, with 24 home runs and 72 RBI. In November 1963, the Orioles traded Gentile, along with $25,000, to the Kansas City Athletics for first baseman Norm Siebern.
Later career
He played a full season for the A's in 1964, hitting .251, with 28 home runs, 71 RBIs, 71 runs and 84 walks. He formed a power hitting duo with Rocky Colavito (34 home runs and 102 RBI), who also became a good friend, but unlike the up-and-coming Orioles the A's finished in last place. Early in the 1965 season, the A's traded Gentile to the Houston Astros for Jesse Hickman and a player to be named later (Ernie Fazio). He was particularly good with the bases loaded. In 86 plate appearances he hit .400 with a .453 on-base percentage, .729 OPS, and six grand slam home runs. Gentile also managed the 2005 Mid-Missouri Mavericks of the Frontier League.
1961 RBI record keeping error
Gentile's 141 RBI in 1961 was second only to Roger Maris' 142 RBI, however, analysis by Retrosheet determined Maris was incorrectly credited with an RBI in a game on July 5, 1961. Maris reached base on an error by numerous accounts. Therefore, Gentile and Maris both had 141 RBI in 1961. Gentile's contract with the Orioles in 1961 called for a $5,000 bonus if he led the league in RBI. The Orioles made good on that deal 50 years later and presented Gentile with a check for $5,000 at a game in 2010.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders