Year Inducted – 1989

Outstanding career began in the youth leagues in East Akron and at East High where he excelled as a hitter and fine defensive outfielder that propelled him to the big leagues including many storied years with the New York Yankees. After playing with Doylestown in the A League, he won the first of four Minor League hitting titles with Mansfield in 1940 when he slugged out a .398 average. After leading the Pacific Coast League in 1948 (.385), he was purchased by the Yankees from San Francisco where he played on a record five consecutive World Series Title Clubs from 1949-1953. He hit .318 in five World Series. Gene closed out his after-Yankee life with Baltimore, Cleveland, Washington, and the New York Mets. Was named World Series MVP three times.