Jim Gentile

Who is Jim Gentile?

James Edward Gentile, also nicknamed "Diamond Jim", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left-handed batter who played with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers; Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Athletics, Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians.

A powerful slugger listed at 6' 4", 215 lb, Gentile was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a high school pitcher in 1952. He played his first minor league season as a pitcher, earning a 2-6 win-lost record. The next year he moved to first base. He languished for eight years in the minors for a Dodgers team that already had All-Star Gil Hodges at first base and Norm Larker. He dominated the minors, leading two separate leagues in home runs.

Gentile was traded to Baltimore in 1960, where he was named to the 1960 All-Star Game his first full season. He enjoyed his best season in 1961, hitting a career-highs .302 batting average, 46 home runs, 141 runs batted in, 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. 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.