Born in San Francisco, California, Gentile was a powerful, left-handed slugger listed at 6' 3", 210 lb. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as a high school pitcher in 1952.[1] 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.[1] 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.[1] He dominated the minors, leading two separate leagues in home runs.[1]
On September 24, 1957, Gentile started at first base for the Dodgers at Brooklyn's famed Ebbets Field in the final game played there, then was replaced by Pee Wee Reese in the top of the fifth inning with Reese going to third base and Gil Hodges moving from third to first. The game's final batter, Pittsburgh's Dee Fondy, hit a ground ball to Don Zimmer at shortstop and Zimmer threw to Hodges at first base for the game's final out.
In a nine-season career, Gentile batted .260 (759-for-2922) with 179 home runs, 549 RBI, 434 runs, 113 doubles, six triples, and three stolen bases in 936 games.[4] Following his major league career, he played one season in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1969.
Gentile's 141 RBI in 1961 was second only to Roger Maris' 142 RBI, however, analysis by Retrosheet[5] 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.[6]
