About Gene Rye
Lived 1906 – 1980 (aged 73). Gene Rye was an American baseball player.
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 season.
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). He was born in Chicago, Illinois. Rye married Julia Swentko on October 28, 1950. The third home run is considered one of the greatest minor league baseball home runs of all time.
When Rye was 29 years old he finished his professional baseball career after his 1936 season.
Rye died at the age of 73 in Park Ridge, Illinois.
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Gene Rye?
American baseball player
When was Gene Rye born?
Gene Rye was born on 15 November 1906 in Chicago.
When did Gene Rye die?
Gene Rye died on 21 January 1980 in Park Ridge, Illinois.
What was Gene Rye's occupation?
Gene Rye was a baseball player.
What nationality was Gene Rye?
Gene Rye was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gene Rye. https://biography.guide/gene-rye/
MLA: "Gene Rye." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gene-rye/.
Chicago: "Gene Rye." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gene-rye/.
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