Gary Gentry

Last updated

12 games on August 13, were now in first place by six games, and now regularly drew crowds over 50,000 to Shea. Gentry pitched a four-hit, 6–0 shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals [4] to clinch the National League East title for the Mets. [5]

On his 23rd birthday, Gentry was sent to the mound for game three of the 1969 National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves. Gentry lasted only into the third inning, however, the Mets were able to mount a comeback that would allow them to sweep the NLCS, [6] and head into the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles.

With the 1969 World Series tied at one game apiece, Gentry faced Jim Palmer in game three. Tommie Agee led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run to give the Mets the early 1–0 lead (Agee also made two spectacular catches in center field to prevent the Orioles from scoring up to five runs in this game). Gentry, meanwhile, held the mighty Orioles scoreless, pitching into the seventh inning before handing the ball to Nolan Ryan for the save. He also helped his own cause in the second inning with a double that plated two runs. [7]

Gentry got off to a hot start in 1970. [8] Following a one-hit shutout of the Chicago Cubs on May 13, [9] his record stood at 4–1 with a 1.71 ERA. He would cool off from there, and ended the season at 9–9 with a 3.68 ERA.

Following a 1971 season in which Gentry went 12–11 with a 3.23 ERA, the California Angels inquired about Gentry, dangling third baseman Jim Fregosi as bait. Unwilling to part with Gentry, the Mets sent Nolan Ryan to the Angels in one of the most infamous trades in franchise history. [10]

He would remain with the Mets for one more season, going 7–10 with a 4.01 ERA. Gentry was traded along with Danny Frisella from the Mets to the Atlanta Braves for Félix Millán and George Stone on November 1, 1972. [11]

Atlanta Braves

Gentry exited his June 5 start in the first inning due to right elbow soreness. [12] He made his next start, but was pulled after the second inning, [13] and placed on the disabled list. [14] He returned a month later, but after just two more appearances, his season was ended for good.

After surgery to have bone chips removed from his elbow, Gentry returned to the mound on April 30, 1974, pitching an inning of relief. [15] He made two more appearances before his season was once again cut short, this time for tendon surgery. He made seven appearances in 1975 before the Braves decided to end their relationship with Gentry. He played his last game for the Braves on May 6, and was waived two days later. [16]

Shortly afterwards, Gentry was re-signed by the Mets, but after just one appearance at Double-A Jackson was released on June 19. [17]

Career stats

Gary Gentry
Gary Gentry Mets.jpg
Pitcher
Born: (1946-10-06) October 6, 1946 (age 77)
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 10, 1969, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
May 6, 1975, for the Atlanta Braves
W L PCT ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP BF H ER R HR BAA K BB BB/9 WP HBP Fld% Avg. SH
4649.4843.561571382582902.2380077035740090.2316153693.72928.995.09525

Gentry was an exceptional fielding pitcher. The only error he committed in his career (in 182 total chances) came on August 23, 1970, covering first on a ground ball by Pete Rose. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommie Agee</span> American baseball player (1942–2001)

Tommie Lee Agee was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a center fielder from 1962 through 1973, most notably as a member of the New York Mets team that became known as the Miracle Mets when, they rose from being perennial losers to defeat the favored Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series for one of the most improbable upsets in World Series history. Agee performed two impressive defensive plays in center field to help preserve a Mets victory in the third game of the series.

Carl Wendle Morton was an American professional baseball pitcher who played eight seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Montreal Expos and the Atlanta Braves. Morton was named the NL Rookie of the Year in 1970 and posted a career record of 87–92 with 650 strikeouts and a 3.73 ERA in 1648.2 innings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donn Clendenon</span> American baseball player (1935–2005)

Donn Alvin Clendenon was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1961 to 1972. He is most notable for his performance during the 1969 World Series when he won the World Series Most Valuable Player Award by hitting three home runs to help lead the team known as the Miracle Mets to an upset victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Burris</span> American baseball player (born 1950)

Bertram Ray Burris is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB), and the current rehabilitation pitching coordinator in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He played in MLB from 1973 through 1987 for seven different teams. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 200 pounds (91 kg), he threw and batted right-handed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Forsch</span> American baseball player (1950–2011)

Robert Herbert Forsch was an American professional baseball player who spent most of his sixteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the St. Louis Cardinals (1974–1988) before finishing his playing career with the Houston Astros (1988–1989). He was a member of the 1982 World Series Champions and National League (NL) pennant winners in 1985 and 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Cardwell</span> American baseball player (1935-2008)

Donald Eugene Cardwell was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) right-handed pitcher who played for five National League (NL) teams from 1957 to 1970. He was the first pitcher in major league history to pitch a no-hitter in his first game after being traded. He pitched a no-hit, 4–0 winning game for the Chicago Cubs on May 15, 1960, just two days after being traded from the Philadelphia Phillies. After winning 15 games for the Cubs in 1961, he won 13 games twice for the Pittsburgh Pirates before helping the New York Mets win the 1969 World Series title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Sisk</span> American baseball player (born 1957)

Douglas Randall Sisk, is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. His primary pitch was a sinker that was difficult for batters to drive in the air.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 New York Mets season</span> Major League Baseball season

The 1969 New York Mets season was the team's eighth as a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise and culminated when they won the World Series over the Baltimore Orioles. They played their home games at Shea Stadium and were managed by Gil Hodges. The team is often referred to as the "Amazin' Mets" or the "Miracle Mets".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Boswell</span> American baseball player (born 1946)

Kenneth George Boswell is a former Major League Baseball second baseman.

The 1969 Atlanta Braves season was the fourth in Atlanta and the 99th overall season of the franchise. The National League had been split into two divisions before the season, with the Braves somewhat incongruously being assigned to the National League West. The Braves finished with a record of 93–69, winning the first ever NL West title by three games over the San Francisco Giants.

The 1969 Montreal Expos season was the inaugural season in Major League Baseball for the team. The Expos, as typical for first-year expansion teams, finished in the cellar of the National League East with a 52–110 record, 48 games behind the eventual World Series Champion New York Mets. They did not win any game in extra innings during the year, which also featured a surprise no-hitter in just the ninth regular-season game they ever played. Their home attendance of 1,212,608, an average of 14,970 per game, was good for 7th in the N.L.

The 1985 Montreal Expos season was the 17th season in franchise history. They finished with a record of 84–77, third in the National League East and 16 1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 1991 Major League Baseball season saw the Minnesota Twins defeat the Atlanta Braves for the World Series title, in a series where every game was won by the home team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Frisella</span> American baseball player (1946-1977)

Daniel Vincent "Danny" Frisella was an American Major League Baseball pitcher whose career was cut short when he was killed in a dune buggy accident on New Year's Day in 1977.

The 1970 Major League Baseball season: The Seattle Pilots relocated to Milwaukee and became the Brewers, thus returning Major League Baseball to Wisconsin for the first time since the relocation of the Milwaukee Braves to Atlanta following the 1965 season. Major League Baseball returned to Seattle in 1977, when the Mariners began play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Major League Baseball All-Star Game</span> 1984 American baseball competition

The 1984 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 55th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 10, 1984, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, home of the San Francisco Giants of the National League. The game resulted in a 3–1 victory for the NL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Stone (pitcher)</span> American baseball player (born 1946)

George Heard Stone is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is likely best remembered for his 1973 season with the New York Mets, when he went 12–3 with a 2.80 ERA -- leading the National League in winning percentage -- to help the Mets to the 1973 World Series.

Michael Peter Cather is an American professional baseball coach and a former professional baseball right-handed pitcher who appeared in Major League Baseball (MLB) in three seasons (1997–99) for the Atlanta Braves. In 2016, he was named minor league pitching coordinator of the Miami Marlins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Moore (baseball)</span> American baseball player

Tommy Joe Moore was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), in parts of four seasons between 1972 and 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Myrick</span> American baseball player (1952-2012)

Robert Howard Myrick was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was the great-nephew of longtime Washington Senators second baseman Buddy Myer.

References

  1. Connor Pelton (July 9, 2016). "ASU's 50 Best Professional Athletes No. 45: Baseball's Gary Gentry". Vox Media, Inc.
  2. "Sports Parade". Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina) . February 12, 1969. p. 15.
  3. "New York Mets 4, Montreal Expos 2". Baseball-reference.com . April 10, 1969.
  4. "New York Mets 6, St. Louis Cardinals 0". Baseball-reference.com. September 24, 1969.
  5. "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Cellar". The Michigan Daily . September 25, 1969. p. 6.
  6. "1969 National League Championship Series, Game 3". Baseball-reference.com. October 6, 1969.
  7. "1969 World Series, Game 3". Baseball-reference.com. October 14, 1969.
  8. Roy Blount Jr. (May 25, 1970). "Good pitch but no no-hit". Sports Illustrated .
  9. "New York Mets 4, Chicago Cubs 0". Baseball-reference.com. May 13, 1970.
  10. William Leggett (May 14, 1973). "An Angel Who Makes Turnstiles Sing". Sports Illustrated.
  11. "Braves Get Gentry, Frisella From Mets". Rome News-Tribune . November 2, 1972. p. 8A.
  12. "Montreal Expos 7, Atlanta Braves 6". Baseball-reference.com. June 5, 1973.
  13. "St. Louis Cardinals 4, Atlanta Braves 3". Baseball-reference.com. June 10, 1973.
  14. "Braves' Gentry on Disabled List". Montreal Gazette . June 15, 1973. p. 29.
  15. "St. Louis Cardinals 7, Atlanta Braves 2". Baseball-reference.com. April 30, 1974.
  16. "Gentry Waived". Lewiston Morning Tribune . June 20, 1975. p. 2B.
  17. "Mets Release Gary Gentry". Waycross Journal-Herald. May 9, 1975. p. P-7.
  18. "New York Mets 5, Cincinnati Reds 4". Baseball-reference.com. August 23, 1970.