Rich Gale

Rich Gale
Pitcher
Born:(1954-01-19)January 19, 1954 Littleton, New Hampshire,U.S.
Batted:Right Threw:Right
MLB debut
April 30, 1978, for the Kansas City Royals
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 1984, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	55–56
Earned run average	4.54
Strikeouts	518
Teams
Kansas City Royals(1978–1981) San Francisco Giants(1982) Cincinnati Reds(1983) Boston Red Sox(1984) Hanshin Tigers(1985–1986)

Richard Blackwell Gale(born January 19, 1954) is an American formerstarting pitcherinMajor League Baseball(MLB) who played with four teams between1978and1984.Listed at 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and 225 lb (102 kg), Gale batted and threw right-handed. During 1992 and 1993, he served as pitching coach for theBoston Red Sox.In 2006, he earned honorable mention for theNew Hampshire Athlete of the Century.

Career

Born inLittleton, New Hampshire,Gale went to theUniversity of New Hampshireon abasketballscholarship, but made his mark on the baseball diamond.In 1974, he playedcollegiate summer baseballfor theFalmouth Commodoresof theCape Cod Baseball League,and was named a leagueall-star.Selected by theKansas City Royalsin the1975 draft,he entered the Majors in1978with the Royals, playing for them four years before joining theSan Francisco Giants(1982),Cincinnati Reds(1983) andBoston Red Sox(1984).

Gale's most productive season came in his rookie year, when he went 14–8 with 88strikeoutsand a 3.09ERA,including a 5–0, one-hitshutoutagainst theTexas RangersatRoyals Stadiumon June 13, 1978. Hisno-hitterbid was broken up byAl Oliverwith atriplein the fourth inning. Gale finished fourth in theAmerican League Rookie of the Yearvote behindLou Whitaker,Paul Molitor,andCarney Lansford,and overAlan Trammelland received anAmerican League MVPvote, garnering both theTSNRookie of the Yearand 1978ToppsAll-Star Rookie Rosterhonors.

Gale in 1980

In1979,Gale faded to 9–10, but he resurfaced with a 13–9 mark in1980,helping his team the reach the1980 World Series.He started games three and six of the Series, going 0–1 with a 4.25 ERA against the eventual World ChampionPhiladelphia Phillies.During the next three seasons his playing time was limited by arm injuries and he did not pitch again in a major league game after1984.

In a seven-season career, Gale posted a 55–56 record with 518 strikeouts and a 4.54 ERA in 195appearances,including 144 starts, 21complete games,5 shutouts, 13games finished,2saves,and 970.0inningsof work. A good-hitting pitcher who occasionallypinch-hit,he collected a.150batting average(9-for-68) with 2home runs,2doubles,6runs,and 5RBI.

Following his major league career, Gale played in theJapan Central Leaguefor the 1985Hanshin Tigers,who won their first-everJapan Serieswith Gale pitching the winning game. He later played with theFort Myers Sun Soxof theSenior Professional Baseball Association1989–1990 and for Triple-APawtucket1991.

After his playing career ended, Gale worked as apitching coachfor the Boston Red Sox 1992–1993, Double-ACarolina Mudcats2006, Triple-AAlbuquerque Isotopes2007–2008, and in theWashington Nationalssystem 2009. From 2010 through June 2011, he served as pitching coach for the Triple-ANashville Sounds.Before joining the Sounds in 2010, Gale was a pitching coach for theCarolina Mudcats,Albuquerque Isotopesand theHagerstown Suns.Gale resigned as aSounds coachin June 2011, citing personal reasons for his departure.

Personal life

Gale was a witness to theHyatt Regency walkway collapseon July 17, 1981. He had been working as abartenderat one of the fivebarsin the hotel's lobby because of the1981 MLB strike.He called the disaster "the worst thing I've ever seen or imagined."

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors),orRetrosheet,orPura Pelota