Oscar Gamble
Born: 12/20/1949 in Ramer, AL, USA
Died: 1/31/2018 in Birmingham, AL, USA
MLB Debut: 1969-08-27 | Final Game: 1985-08-08
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Oscar Charles Gamble
Biography
Oscar Gamble was a professional baseball player born in 1949, whose career spanned from 1969 to 1985. Known for his distinctive style and powerful swing, Gamble played primarily as a position player in Major League Baseball, participating in a total of 1,584 games. Over the course of his career, he accumulated 1,195 hits, showcasing his ability to make contact and produce offensively. He was particularly noted for his power, hitting 200 home runs and driving in 666 runs, which made him a valuable asset to his teams.
Gamble's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the rise of power hitters and the evolution of offensive strategies. With a batting average of .265, he demonstrated consistency at the plate and contributed significantly to his teams' successes throughout his tenure. Additionally, he displayed speed on the bases, finishing his career with 47 stolen bases. Gamble's unique presence, characterized by his flamboyant hairstyles and engaging personality, left a lasting impression in the game, making him a memorable figure in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1584 | 4502 | 656 | 1195 | 188 | 31 | 200 | 666 | 47 | 610 | 546 | 0.265 | 0.356 | 0.454 | 0.811 | 13556.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | CHC | NL | 24 | 71 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 0.225 | -76.1 |
| 1970 | PHI | NL | 88 | 275 | 31 | 72 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 5 | 27 | 37 | 0.262 | -226.1 |
| 1971 | PHI | NL | 92 | 280 | 24 | 62 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 5 | 21 | 35 | 0.221 | -618.1 |
| 1972 | PHI | NL | 74 | 135 | 17 | 32 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 19 | 16 | 0.237 | 10.3 |
| 1973 | CLE | AL | 113 | 390 | 56 | 104 | 11 | 3 | 20 | 44 | 3 | 34 | 37 | 0.267 | 853.6 |
| 1974 | CLE | AL | 135 | 454 | 74 | 132 | 16 | 4 | 19 | 59 | 5 | 48 | 51 | 0.291 | 1772.8 |
| 1975 | CLE | AL | 121 | 348 | 60 | 91 | 16 | 3 | 15 | 45 | 11 | 53 | 39 | 0.261 | 1156.5 |
| 1976 | NYY | AL | 110 | 340 | 43 | 79 | 13 | 1 | 17 | 57 | 5 | 38 | 38 | 0.232 | 573.0 |
| 1977 | CHW | AL | 137 | 408 | 75 | 121 | 22 | 2 | 31 | 83 | 1 | 54 | 54 | 0.297 | 2805.3 |
| 1978 | SDP | NL | 126 | 375 | 46 | 103 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 47 | 1 | 51 | 45 | 0.275 | 685.5 |
| 1979 | NYY | AL | 36 | 113 | 21 | 44 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 32 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 0.389 | 1221.3 |
| 1979 | TEX | AL | 64 | 161 | 27 | 54 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 32 | 2 | 37 | 15 | 0.335 | 1221.3 |
| 1980 | NYY | AL | 78 | 194 | 40 | 54 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 50 | 2 | 28 | 21 | 0.278 | 1133.2 |
| 1981 | NYY | AL | 80 | 189 | 24 | 45 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 27 | 0 | 35 | 23 | 0.238 | 602.5 |
| 1982 | NYY | AL | 108 | 316 | 49 | 86 | 21 | 2 | 18 | 57 | 6 | 58 | 47 | 0.272 | 1785.5 |
| 1983 | NYY | AL | 74 | 180 | 26 | 47 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 25 | 23 | 0.261 | 512.6 |
| 1984 | NYY | AL | 54 | 125 | 17 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 27 | 1 | 25 | 18 | 0.184 | 183.8 |
| 1985 | CHW | AL | 70 | 148 | 20 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 34 | 22 | 0.203 | -24.3 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 42 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 0.286 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | AEDIV | NYA | 4 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.556 |
| 1981 | ALCS | NYA | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0.167 |
| 1981 | WS | NYA | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 |
| 1980 | ALCS | NYA | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.200 |
| 1976 | WS | NYA | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.125 |
| 1976 | ALCS | NYA | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.250 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 818 | 724 | 1412 | 59 | 35 | 17 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | CHN | OF | 24 | 21 | 41 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1970 | PHI | OF | 74 | 71 | 148 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 1971 | PHI | OF | 80 | 67 | 125 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 1972 | PHI | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | PHI | OF | 35 | 32 | 54 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 | CLE | OF | 37 | 34 | 67 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | CLE | OF | 13 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | CLE | OF | 82 | 75 | 146 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| 1976 | NYA | OF | 104 | 87 | 199 | 10 | 4 | 3 |
| 1977 | CHA | OF | 49 | 41 | 73 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | SDN | OF | 107 | 106 | 172 | 12 | 4 | 3 |
| 1979 | NYA | OF | 27 | 27 | 47 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 1979 | TEX | OF | 21 | 18 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1980 | NYA | OF | 49 | 41 | 65 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 | NYA | OF | 43 | 31 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | NYA | OF | 29 | 26 | 59 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 | NYA | OF | 32 | 27 | 64 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 1984 | NYA | OF | 12 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 275 |
| Center Field | 79 |
| Right Field | 474 |
| Designated Hitter | 561 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-05-28 |
| 1980 | Player of the Week | Week of 1980-09-07 |
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-09-28 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 29th | 1.0 | 392 | 0 |