Dick Gernert

Began his outstanding athletic career as an all-around athlete at Northeast Junior High School before graduating from Reading High School as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball (1947). He was named the outstanding athlete at Reading High School (1947). He led the Red Knights basketball team in scoring during his junior and senior years, earning him a scholarship to Temple University where he played basketball and baseball. Dick was signed by the Boston Red Sox and the 6'3", 190-pound athlete began his minor league career batting .383 for San Jose of the California League in 21 games, .265 for Scranton of the Eastern League in 69 games and .219 for Louisville of the American Association in 26 games (1950). He returned to Scranton the following season, played first base, and hit .306 in 124 games (1951). Gernert began the next season in Louisville, posting a .315 average in 19 games and was called up to the Boston Red Sox for the first of his initial three seasons in the major leagues (1952). He slammed 19 homers, had 67 RBI’s and a batting average of .243. His homerun output rose to 21 the next season, with 71 RBI’s and a .253 average (1953). The next season he split his year among Boston, Louisville and Buffalo (1954) and played in Louisville again the following year (1955). That season he hit .287 with 24 homeruns and 86 RBI’s before getting his second call-up to Boston. This time, he would remain in the major leagues for nine more seasons and play for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Colt .45’s. He earned the Comeback Player of the Year award with Boston when he hit .291 with 16 homeruns and 28 RBI’s (1956). Dick compiled a career batting average of .253 in the American League and .262 in the National League. After concluding his playing days with Reading of the Eastern League (1964), Gernert managing five more seasons. He piloted Wytheville of the Appalachian League (1969) and Pittsfield of the Eastern League to third place in the standings before moving to Denver of the American Association for the last-half of that season and finishing in first place with the Bears (1970). Dick was also the director of player development for the New York Mets farm system.

Deceased