19 Facts About Oscar Gamble

Oscar Charles Gamble was an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter, who played in Major League Baseball for 17 seasons, from 1969 to 1985, for seven teams: the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees ; as well as the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers.

Oscar Gamble attended George Washington Carver High School and was discovered playing baseball in a semi-professional league by legendary Negro league baseball player Buck O'Neil, who was working as a scout for the Chicago Cubs at the time.

Oscar Gamble played with the Caldwell Cubs of the Pioneer League in 1968 and the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League in 1969, from where he received his call-up to the Chicago Cubs late in the 1969 season.

Oscar Gamble was traded along with Roger Freed by the Phillies to the Indians for Del Unser and minor league third baseman Terry Wedgewood on December 1,1972.

Unlike some players who failed to cope with the New York media, Oscar Gamble thrived on it, and was always a favorite with sportswriters.

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Oscar Gamble, whose hitting prowess was overshadowed by his famously large Afro hairdo, has the distinction of logging the last hit and RBI at Philadelphia's Connie Mack Stadium on October 1,1970.

Oscar Gamble was nearly dealt along with Bob Watson and Mike Morgan from the Yankees back to the Texas Rangers for Al Oliver prior to the 1982 regular season, but he squashed the transaction because his contract had a list of eight teams to which he can be traded which did not include the Rangers.

Oscar Gamble had one of the more unusual batting stances in the major leagues.

Oscar Gamble stood at the plate in a deep crouch with his back almost parallel to the ground.

Oscar Gamble claimed this stance helped him see the ball better as his eyes were right above the plate and close to where the ball was pitched.

Oscar Gamble was considered a below-average fielder, and consequently played over a third of his games as a designated hitter, but he had a good arm.

Oscar Gamble played in the 2007 Yankee Old Timers Game with many Yankee players that were honored from the 1977 championship team.

Oscar Gamble lived in Little Ferry, New Jersey, while playing with the Yankees.

Oscar Gamble was involved in youth baseball and later in his life he often came back to New York to give free baseball clinics for the St Kevin Youth Guild in Queens, NY.

Oscar Gamble was married to his first wife Juanita while playing for the Yankees, and after retirement and divorce, he married his second wife, Lovell Woods Gamble.

Oscar Gamble's son, Sean, was a player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, while another son, Shane, played in junior college.

Oscar Gamble has three daughters, Sheena Maureen, Kalani Lee, and Kylah Lee.

Oscar Gamble opened up a discotheque known as "Oscar Gamble's Players Club'" in Montgomery; baseball writer Dan Epstein called it a "hip" place.

Oscar Gamble died of cancer in his jaw on January 31,2018, at the age of 68.