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Gene Host
From BR Bullpen
Eugene Earl Host (Twinkles or Slick)
- Bats Both, Throws Left
- Height 5' 11", Weight 190 lb.
- Debut September 16, 1956
- Final Game June 23, 1957
- Born January 1, 1933 in Leeper, PA USA
- Died August 20, 1998 in Nashville, TN USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Left-hander Gene Host was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers before the 1952 season. The Tigers placed the nineteen year old pitcher with the Kinston Eagles where his 26 league leading wins helped his team to the Coastal Plains League pennant and won him a berth on the All-Star team. Gene would spend the next four years (1952-1955) in the minors with just average success before he would get his chance at pitching to major league hitters.
Host, who was a hard throwing lefty, was one of the highest rated mound prospects in the Detroit Tigers organization, but in his only game for the Tigers in 1956 he allowed four runs in five innings and the following year, 1957, after being traded to the Kansas City Athletics, he lost both of his decisions in eleven games. This was the end of the 24 year old pitchers major league time and he finished out at 0-2 with a 7.31 ERA.
Gene would stay in baseball for the next five years (1957-1961) but was never able to have another winning season. He was in the Mexican League with the Monterrey Sultanes in 1960 with little success and finished out his eight year minor league run in 1961 with the Nashville Volunteers going 2-5 with a 5.18 ERA. This undoubtedly led to his leaving the game and finishing out his minor league run with a 73-70 record and a 3.33 ERA.
After baseball Host was employed as a machine set-up man at the Ford Motor glass plant in Nashville, TN, where he died August 20, 1998, at age 65.
[edit] Sources
