Transactions
Acquired: August 1, 1979: Oscar was acquired by the Yankees with players to be named later and Amos Lewis (minors) from the Texas Rangers for players to be named later and
Mickey Rivers. The Rangers sent
Ray Fontenot (October 8, 1979) and
Gene Nelson (October 8, 1979) to the Yankees to complete the trade. The Yankees sent Bob Polinsky (minors) (October 8, 1979), Neal Mersch (minors) (October 8, 1979), and Mark Softy (minors) (October 8, 1979) to the Rangers to complete the trade.
Highlights
June 6, 1976:
In the second game of a Sunday double-header, having lost the first game 3-2,
the Yankees entered the bottom of the ninth trailing the Oakland Athletics by a
2-1 score. Thurman Munson belted a one out triple and scored as Chris Chambliss
followed with an RBI single to tie the game. Carlos May kept the rally
going with another single when A's manager Chuck Tanner went to his bullpen to
call on Rollie Fingers to preserve the tie. Graig Nettles greeted him with a
single to center and possible game-winning RBI, yet Chambliss was gunned down at
the plate for the second out. Oscar Gamble followed and slammed a
three-run, game winning home run to send 47,431 fans home happy with a 5-2
Yankee victory.
September 10, 1976: The Yankees entered the bottom of the 8th
trailing 2-1 to the Brewers and starter Jim Slaton. After a Mickey Rivers
single to open the frame, Slaton looked to be wriggling out of trouble after a
successful Roy White sacrifice bunt was followed by a Thurman Munson groundout
back to the mound. However, it quickly fell apart for Slaton. Chris
Chambliss doubled to easily plate Rivers from third, then advanced to second on
a wild pitch. Carlos May and Graig Nettles then walked to load the bases
for Oscar Gamble. Gamble made him pay with a grand slam to put the Yankees
up 6-2. Despite a two-run double in the top of the ninth, Catfish Hunter
was able to close out the 86th Yankee victory on the season and Hunter's 15th
win against 14 losses.
September 2, 1979: After the Yankees score three runs in the
bottom of the ninth to tie the Royals, Oscar Gamble leads off the bottom of the
tenth with a game-winning home run against K.C. reliever Steve Mingori to give
the Yankees a 6-5 victory.
September 27, 1979: The Yankees entered the bottom of the
ninth trailing 2-1 to Sid Monge and the Indians. After loading the bases
on a George Scott single and walks to Reggie Jackson and Juan Beniquez, Roy
White plates the tying run with a one-out sacrifice fly. Down to their
last out, Oscar Gamble was called on to pinch hit for catcher Bruce Robinson.
Manager Billy Martin's decision proves successful when Gamble wins it for the
Yankees with a three-run, game-winning home run. The home run was Gamble's
11th for the Yankees in 33 games after being re-acquired on August 1st.
Statistics
- 1979 was not a good season for the Yankees. More success was
expected from the team following back-to-back championships, but the death
of Thurman Munson, more managerial shenanigans and a red-hot Baltimore
Orioles team made for a disappointing season in the Bronx. One of the
highlights was the re-acquisition of slugger Oscar Gamble. Mickey
Rivers' personal troubles made him expendable, so he was sent to Texas in
return for a few minor leaguers and Gamble. Oscar was already having a
solid year in Arlington with 8 HR, 32 RBI and a .335 AVG and .979 OPS in 64
games. Believe it or not, he was better in New York, slamming 11 HR,
32 RBI a .389 AVG and 1.187 OPS in only 36 games (113 AB.) His
two-months in the Bronx also included two game-winning home runs in
September and countless big hits, including an August 27th grand slam
against Texas to lead the Yankees to a 7-4 victory in Arlington.
Memories
Erik E. from Brooklyn wrote to say, "Oscar Gamble could fall out of bed and hit the ball. I recall one season later in his career when he had one of the best HR/AB ratios in the majors. He especially loved to hit in the Metrodome, where the Twins used to play, frequently knocking balls over the Hefty bag in right for home runs. He also had a way with words, famously remarking that he considers himself to be in scoring position every time he gets to the plate."
Editor's Note: The year with the HR/AB ratio was 1977 when Oscar led the
league in that category with 31 HR in 408 at-bats for the White Sox.
Regarding the Metrodome, Oscar boasted a .324 batting average in that park
for his career with 6 HR, a double, triple, 14 RBI and a 1.314 OPS in 12
games (37 AB.)
