On Wednesday, baseball received the sad news that Oscar Gamble had passed away at the age of 68. Most baseball fans likely remember Gamble for his famed baseball card, but he was also a major offensive contributor to the 1977 Chicago White Sox. That season was the strongest of his career: over 137 games, Gamble was good for 3.6 WAR, slashing .297/.386/.588 with 22 doubles and 31 home runs. While that Sox team ultimately fell short of the playoffs (finishing third behind the Royals and the Rangers in the West), Gamble did see playoff action several times while with the Yankees. He returned to the Sox for what would be his final season in 1985.
What makes Gamble unique to the White Sox is that he is one of only 17 players in White Sox history to hit at least 20 doubles and 30 home runs in a single season. Your mission for today? Name all of the players to have accomplished this feat for the White Sox. Good luck!
Quiz Parameters
- As I mentioned, 17 players have logged these stats in a single season, but multiple players have accomplished it multiple times. In all, there are 41 instances where this has occurred: all of the names are common, so the challenge in this quiz is to attempt completion within a five minute time limit.
- As always, last names accepted in addition to both first and last.
- For hints, I've provided the season and the primary position played.
Useless information to amaze, annoy, confound, and/or confuse your friends:
- Gamble is one of four players in baseball history to finish his career with exactly 200 home runs. (The other three: Josh Hamilton, Bill Freehan, and Don Mincher)
- He is the only player in baseball history to finish his career with exactly 666 RBIs.
- Offensively, he was the most valuable player on the White Sox in 1977, leading the team in oWAR and WPA. (He actually finished fifth in the league overall in WPA that year, behind Rod Carew, Ken Singleton, Lyman Bostock, and Reggie Jackson)
All data from baseballreference.com
