Ken Gables

Kenneth Harlin Gables (Coral)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 210 lb.
• Debut April 18, 1945
• Final Game April 20, 1947
• Born January 31, 1919 in Walnut Grove, MO USA
• Died January 2, 1960 in Walnut Grove, MO USA

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Biographical Information

Missouri-born and bred Ken Gables pitched in twelve seasons of professional baseball (1938-1954), with ten of those years coming in the minors and two seasons plus one appearance (1945-1947) in the majors. He also spent the 1943 season with the United States Army during World War II. After two years in the minors, 1942 and 1944, with 14 wins and 18 losses, he got his chance in the major's with the Pittsburgh Pirates at the start of the 1945 season.

The 26-year-old right-hander made his debut in the big leagues on April 18, 1945 with the Pirates. For the season, he appeared in 29 games, winning 11 and losing 7 with a 4.15 ERA while pitching 138 innings. Gables was back with the Pirates for the 1946 season, had lost a little something (or had trouble with the higher quality of hitter returning from the War) and fell to a 2-4 record with a 5.27 ERA in 32 appearances. He showed back up with the Pirates for the 1947 season, made one appearance of 1/3 of an inning and on April 20, 1947, he made his last pitch in the big leagues. He finished his time in the majors with a 13-11 record and a 4.69 ERA while appearing in 62 games.

Ken spent the rest of his career in the minors (1947-1954) with mostly AAA teams. His only double digit-win season came in 1951 with the Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League when he chalked up 11 wins, but had 13 losses. During his minor league time, he never had a winning season, although he did chalk up two seasons with a .500 mark. Ken finished up his professional baseball career in 1954, at the age of 35, with a 68-96 record and a 4.01 ERA while appearing in 350 games.

After baseball, Ken served as City Marshall and Deputy Sheriff in his home town of Walnut Grove, MO. He died at his home in Walnut Grove on January 2, 1960. Kenneth Harlin Gables was 41 years of age.