Gene Hermanski

Eugene Victor Hermanski

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11½", Weight 185 lb.
• School Seton Hall University
• High School East Side High School (Newark)
• Debut August 14, 1943
• Final Game September 22, 1953
• Born May 11, 1920 in Pittsfield, MA USA
• Died August 9, 2010 in Homosassa Springs, FL USA

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Biographical Information

The Brooklyn Dodgers' left-handed swinging outfielder Gene Hermanski first came up in 1943 before serving in the Coast Guard during World War II. Gene swung a good bat, hitting between .290 and .299 from 1948 to 1950 (and had an excellent OBP each year). But his shortcomings defensively resulted in confrontations with the New York newspapers, who were critical of his fielding problems.

Three of Hermanski's 46 career home runs came in one game on August 5, 1948. He was part of both the 1947 and 1949 pennant-winning Brooklyn teams, and hit .308 (4 for 13) against the New York Yankees in the 1949 World Series.

He reached his peak as a batter in 1949 with an OBP of .431, which would have been in the top five in the National League if he had had enough at-bats. He was also third in the league in stolen bases although he appeared in only 87 games.

He was traded to the Chicago Cubs during the 1951 season in the deal which brought Andy Pafko to the Dodgers. During the 1953 season he was part of another big trade when he was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the multi-player deal which saw Ralph Kiner go from the Pirates to the Cubs. Hermanski closed out his nine-year career that season with a lifetime .272 batting average.

His main teammates were Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese and Roy Campanella.

A retired sales representative for Tose Incorporated, in New Jersey, he made his home in Homosassa, FL until his death in 2010.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s

Related Sites

• Gene Hermanski at the SABR Bio Project
• Gene Hermanski longtime Brooklyn Dodger passes away at 90