John Gamble

John Robert Gamble Jr. (February 10, 1948 – September 1, 2022) was an American professional baseball shortstop who played thirteen games for the Detroit Tigers in two seasons of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1972 to 1973. He batted and threw right handed and served primarily as a pinch runner.

Gamble was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966 and played for the team's minor league affiliates until 1970, when he was acquired by the Detroit Tigers via the Rule 5 draft. The Tigers promoted him to the major leagues two years later. Although he was noted for his base stealing skills during his time in the farm system, and was added to the major league roster to bring speed into the lineup, he ultimately did not attempt a stolen base. He played his last game on May 25, 1973, but carried on playing three more seasons in the minor leagues. He subsequently returned to his home state of Nevada and worked for a local county park and as a high school coach.

Early life Gamble was born in Reno, Nevada, on February 10, 1948. He was the first of three sons of John Sr. and Muriel Gamble, both of whom worked as teachers.

Gamble attended Carson High School in nearby Carson City, Nevada, He posted batting averages of .479 and .420 during his junior and senior years, respectively,

Gamble played seven seasons in the Dodgers' farm system from 1966 to 1972. He distinguished himself with his base stealing prowess, stealing a total of 169 bases from 1968 to 1971. He tallied a career-high 60 stolen bases in 1970 for Daytona Beach. On defense, he showed a talent for turning the double play (50 in 1968, 56 in 1969), He made his MLB debut for the franchise on September 7, 1972, at the age of 24, In his next four appearances, he was utilized only as a pinch runner. He then had two plate appearances in the final game he played that season on October 4, but went hitless and did not reach base. He also played seven innings at shortstop during that same game, his first and only major league appearance at defense. Gamble played his first major league game of the 1973 season on May 16. After entering as a pinch runner in extra innings, he scored the winning run on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Mickey Stanley in what turned out to be the only run he would score in his major league career. He played in six more games – all as a pinch runner Gamble played his final major league game on May 25, 1973, at the age of 25. In 1975, he compiled a .288 batting average and stole 13 bases while leading Evansville to a pennant and the Junior World Series. He was released by the Tigers in the spring of 1977.

Personal life Gamble married Dawn Carter in 1969. They eventually divorced. After retiring from professional baseball, Gamble worked for Washoe County Parks until 2005. He also coached high school baseball and softball in his hometown.