Lloyd Gearhart

Lloyd William Gearhart
(Gary)

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
• School Ashland College
• High School Dixie High School (New Lebanon)
• Debut April 18, 1947
• Final Game September 28, 1947
• Born August 10, 1923 in New Lebanon, OH USA
• Died April 2, 2001 in Kettering, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Ohio native Lloyd Gearhart, also called Gary Gearhart, spent eleven seasons in professional baseball as an active player from 1944 to 1954 and two more seasons as a minor league manager in 1956 and 1968. The young first baseman spent his first three seasons in the minor leagues with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association, hitting .340 in 1944, his first season, .304 in 1945 and .332 in 1946.

This caught the New York Giants' attention and he spent 1947 as an outfielder for the Giants. Playing against the Brooklyn Dodgers in his April 18th debut, Gearhart went 1 for 2 with two walks. He appeared in 73 games with 179 at-bats for a .246 average with six home runs. This was his only time in "the Show."

After being traded by the New York Giants along with Dick Hoover and $60,000 to the Atlanta Crackers for Davey Williams in October of 1948, Gary spent the rest of his pro career in the minors, mostly with AA and AAA clubs. He was never able to crack the .300 barrier again although he hit .290 with 14 homers for Atlanta in 1949. He had another strong year with the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association in 1952, hitting .281 with 12 four-baggers.

He ended his active playing days in the minor leagues in 1954, appearing in 1,023 games with a near .300 batting average that included 69 home runs and 981 hits. Gary then managed the 1956 Port Arthur Sea Hawks of the Big State League to a second-place finish with a 78-62 record. He also handled the 1968 Rookie-Class Appalachian League Marion Mets to a 72-42 record and a first-place finish, being named the league's manager of the year. His oldest son, OF Marty Gearhart, was a player on that team, while his two younger sons worked at batboys. He also worked as a scout for the New York Mets, with Joe Campbell being his only signee who made it to the Show.

Lloyd William Gearhart passed away at his home near Dayton, OH on April 2, 2001.

Related Sites

• Lloyd Gearhart at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page