Eugene Rudolph Rye [Half-Pint] (November 15, 1906 – January 21, 1980) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Boston Red Sox during the 1931 season.
| Gene Rye | |
|---|---|
| Left fielder | |
| Born: November 15, 1906 Chicago, Illinois | |
| Died: January 21, 1980 (aged 73) Park Ridge, Illinois | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 22, 1931, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 6, 1931, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Games played | 17 |
| Batting average | .179 |
| Runs batted in | 1 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Listed at 5'6", 165 lb., Rye batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
His birth name was Eugene Rudolph Mercantelli, the son of Amedeo Menotti Mercantelli (1866-1950) and Daria "Dora" Frediani (1867-1920).[1] He was born in Chicago, Illinois. Rye married Julia Swentko on October 28, 1950.[1]
Used as a pinch hitter by Boston, Rye also shared duties at left field with Al Van Camp and Jack Rothrock. In a 17-game career, he posted a .179 batting average (7-for-39) with three runs and one run batted in with no extra-base hits. In 10 outfield appearances, he had 10 putouts and committed an error for a .944 fielding percentage.
Rye hit three home runs in one inning in 1930 while playing with the Waco Cubs in the Texas League.[2] The third home run is considered one of the greatest minor league baseball home runs of all time.[3]
When Rye was 29 years old he finished his professional baseball career after his 1936 season.[1]
Rye died at the age of 73 in Park Ridge, Illinois.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Gene Rye | Society for American Baseball Research". Sabr.org. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- ^ "Texas League Incredible Performances". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ "ESPN.com - Page2 - 100 Greatest Home Runs of All Time". Espn.com. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
External links
edit- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
.jpg){kind=small}   | This biographical article relating to an American baseball outfielder born in the 1900s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |