Jim Gentile of the Baltimore Orioles set career-highs with a .302 batting average, 46 homers and 141 RBIs in '61, which was one behind Yankees legend Roger Maris for tops in the American League. However, several years ago, a baseball researcher discovered that one of Maris' credited RBIs had scored as the result of an error. Within the last year, that research was verified and approved by Major League Baseball and its official statistician, the Elias Sports Bureau. In the 2010 Elias Book of Baseball Records, Gentile is for the first time listed as having shared the 1961 American League RBI crown with Maris.
So, the Orioles honored Gentile for his belated 1961 RBI crown with a pregame ceremony on Friday, August 6, 2010 that included president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail presenting the former first baseman with a $5,000 check. That was the amount of the bonus clause in Gentile's contract for leading the league in RBIs.
In four seasons with the Orioles (from 1960-63), Gentile made three AL All-Star teams, and his 141 RBIs still rank third all-time for an Oriole in a single season.
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Of course, there is little else to celebrate in Baltimore baseball-wise.
ReplyDeleteHe also hit 5 grand slams in '61, a record that stood for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteThe commish hit four grand slams in '09, a record that should stand forever!
ReplyDelete