Price: $35.00

Jim Gentile Houston Astros Autographed Signed 8x10 Photo COA

~~Great looking autographed photo by former Houston Astros...Jim Gentile.

Jim Gentile, former first baseman for the Houston Astros, signed this 8x10 photo with a blue Sharpie. Jim, whose nickname was “Diamond Jim”, began his career in 1957 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played with the Brooklyn Dodgers 1957, Los Angeles Dodgers 1958, Baltimore Orioles 1960-63, Kansas City Athletics 1964-65, Houston Astros 1965-66 and Cleveland Indians 1966. During his career, he played in 936 and banged out 759 hits (179 HR’s) in 2922 at bats (.260 batting average). During the 1961 season, Jim hit 46 HR’s (5 of them grand slams…2 of them in the same game) and finished 3rd in MVP voting behind Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Jim was named to three consecutive All-Star teams for the Orioles (1960-62) and in September 2004 was named as one of the “50 Greatest Orioles” in the 50 year history of the franchise. Jim originally signed this photo on Tuesday July 26, 2005.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia...

James Edward Gentile (pronounced "jen-TEE-uhl") (born June 3, 1934 in San Francisco, California), 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 (1957–58); Baltimore Orioles (1960–63), Kansas City Athletics (1964–65), Houston Astros (1965–66) and Cleveland Indians (1966).

A powerful slugger listed at 6' 4", 215 lb, Gentile languished for eight years in the minors for a Dodgers team that already had All-Star Gil Hodges in first base. Traded to Baltimore, Gentile 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 was considered in the MVP selection (third, behind Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris). In addition, Gentile hit five grand slams — including two straight in one game[1] — setting an American League record that stood until Don Mattingly belted six in 1987.

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. Following his major league career, he played one season in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1969.

Gentile managed the Fort Worth Cats when they returned to baseball in 2001 and 2002. Jim also managed the 2005 Mid-Missouri Mavericks of the Frontier League.

The word, "MCVIKES" will not appear on your photo.  This autographed photo was placed inside a plastic page, the label was placed on top of the plastic page and this photo was then scanned.  If you buy it, you will like it.  

Lifetime guarantee in regards to this autographed photo which also comes with a COA from Gearhart Enterprises, Inc. Member of the UACC. UACC Registered Dealer #RD189.