Gene Garber
| Gene Garber | |
|---|---|
 Garber in 1986. | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 13, 1947 Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 17, 1969, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 1, 1988, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 96–113 |
| Earned run average | 3.34 |
| Strikeouts | 940 |
| Saves | 218 |
| Teams | |
Henry Eugene Garber (born November 13, 1947) is an American former professional baseball sidearm relief pitcher who played for four Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations from 1969 to 1988.
Playing career
Garber was selected by the
While pitching for the 1979 Braves, Garber recorded 25 saves, but also 16 losses, an unusually high number for a closer. His best season came for the 1982 Braves' NL West division-winning team. That year, Garber recorded a career-high 30 saves, along with a 8–10 won-lost record, and he finished seventh in the NL Cy Young Award balloting. Garber's most effective pitch was a change-up, which he effectively delivered from an unusual, herky-jerky motion, turning his back to the batter before delivering the ball in a side-arm, "submarine-style" manner. With 141 games saved for the Braves, Garber ranks third on the team's all-time saves list as of 2020, behind only Craig Kimbrel (186) and John Smoltz (154).[2]
Upon his retirement following the 1988 season, Garber’s 931 career pitching appearances ranked fifth in MLB history, trailing Hoyt Wilhelm (1070), Kent Tekulve (1013), Lindy McDaniel (987), and Rollie Fingers (944).
Personal life
Garber attended Elizabethtown Area High School. He went on to graduate from Elizabethtown College in 1969. Garber is a farmer in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, where he and his sons raise poultry for eggs, emu for emu oil, and they grow corn, wheat, soybeans, and barley. Prior to the 2009 season, he was invited by the Braves to be a guest instructor for a week during spring training, working with fellow side-armer Peter Moylan.[3]
Garber is the Chairman of the Lancaster County Agricultural Preservation Board and is a member of the Lancaster Farmland Trust, which combined have protected more than 1,000 farms and 75,000 acres (300 km2) of farmland from development, more than any other county in the United States.[4]
References
- ^ Garber, Braves end Rose threat to Dimaggio record
- ^ "Atlanta Braves Player Career Pitching Register". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
- ^ What ever happened to Gene Garber?
- ^ "Agricultural Preserve Board | Lancaster County, PA - Official Website". Archived from the original on 2016-09-13. Retrieved 2016-09-07.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Gene Garber at Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Professional Baseball League)
- Gene Garber at Baseball Gauge
- Gene Garber at Hall of Stats