John Gabler

John Richard Gabler
formerly listed as Gabe Gabler

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 165 lb.

• Debut September 18, 1959
• Final Game September 17, 1961
• Born October 2, 1930 in Kansas City, MO USA
• Died February 7, 2009 in Overland Park, KS USA

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Biographical Information

In 1949, the New York Yankees signed right-handed pitcher John Gabler to a free agent contract. He was sent to the class D Mississippi-Ohio Valley League Belleville Stags and the 18-year-old rookie spent his first season with a last-place team under four different managers. John ended up with a 5-7 record with a 4.75 ERA. He appeared in 18 games pitching 91 innings.

It would be 1959 before Gabler got his first chance with the major league New York Yankees. He spent most of that year with the American Association Denver Bears and had a 14-8 record with a 3.39 ERA. Late in the season, he got into 3 games with the Yanks and had a 1-1 record, pitching 19 innings with a 2.79 ERA.

John was rewarded for his good effort in 1959 and started the 1960 season with the Yankees. He got into 21 games, going 3-3, pitching 52 innings but went to a 4.15 ERA and issued 32 walks in 52 innings, against only 19 strikeouts. He was then sent down to the International League Richmond Virginians where he finished out the year with a 4-4 record and a 2.71 ERA, thus missing the 1960 World Series.

Gabler was to get one more shot at the majors when the expansion Washington Senators drafted him from the Yankees on November 28th, in the 1960 Rule V draft. He was with the Washington team the entire 1961 season, winning 3 games and losing 8 while pitching in 29 games. He pitched 93 innings, giving up 104 base hits, 37 base on balls and and 61 runs. His ERA was at 4.86 and he saved 4 games.

1962 found John back in the minors where he began the year with the International League Syracuse Chiefs and wound up the season with the Jacksonville Suns. He had a combined record of 8-13 in 34 games, pitching 145 innings, giving up 169 base hits and 43 base on balls for a 4.72 ERA. This was to be Gabler's last season in professional baseball.

Gabler played in the minor leagues a total of thirteen seasons. He did not play in 1952 and 1953 due to military service in the Korean Conflict. His trip through the minors had him in eight different leagues and ten different teams. Over these years in the minors he came up with 112 wins and 93 losses in 322 games, where he pitched 1,737 innings allowing 1,771 hits, 754 base on balls and giving up 861 earned runs for a 4.19 ERA.

He died in 2009 at his home in Overland Park, KS.