Gavin Fingleson

Gavin Fingleson (born 5 August 1976) is a South African born-Australian switch-hitting former professional baseball player. Primarily a second baseman, he has also played designated hitter, third base, shortstop, and first base.

Early life

Fingelson is Jewish, and was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He and his family moved to Australia when he was 11 years old.

He was named the Maccabi World Union Australian Sportsman of the Year three times, and was named NSW Jewish Sportsman of the Year six times. He played six years for Ku-Ring-gai Stealers Baseball Club youth teams as a teenager.

College

Fingleson went to Masada College, where he played a lot of baseball. He also attended Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana, playing baseball.

Professional career

Fingleson went into the independent leagues in 1999, where he tied for fifth in the Texas–Louisiana League with a .350 batting average for the Bayou Bullfrogs, as he played second base and shortstop. In the World Baseball Classic, Fingleson went one-for-five.

In 2012 he was inducted into the Maccabi NSW Hall of Fame.

In 2017, at the age of 41 after having been retired for eight years, he played second base for the Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League, and hit .208 in 14 games.