Nov. 26, 1963 - The Baltimore Orioles today traded Jim Gentile (pictured in 1961), a first baseman, to the Kansas City Athletics for Norm Siebern. The Athletics also received $25,000 in the deal. Gentile spent most of last season in Manager Billy Hitchcock’s disfavor for a variety of reasons and was fined as much as $1,000 at one time. His average last year dipped to .248, with 24 home runs and 71 RBIs. The 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound first baseman’s best season with the Orioles was 1961, when he hit .302, drove in 141 runs, and belted 46 homers. The 30-year-old Siebern hit .272 with the A’s last year, with 16 home runs and 82 RBIs. A product of the Yankee farm system and a former left fielder, Siebern was swapped to Kansas City on December 11, 1959, in the seven-player exchange that sent Roger Maris to New York. The deal was the second major one made by the A’s in eight days, and once again they obtained a power hitter. On Nov. 18, they acquired Rocky Colavito from the Detroit Tigers. Gentile today expressed shock over the deal. “I’ll be a son-of-a-gun! They couldn’t get an even-up trade for me? Had to throw in $25,000? I can’t figure it. I can’t be that bad. Have I slipped that much? I know I had a bad season, but I thought they’d give me another year. I’ve gotten to like Baltimore, and I’ve made a lot of wonderful friends here. But what’re you going to do? That’s baseball, they say. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I just hope it isn’t the first part of a chain trade for me. It looks like they’re trying to build something in Kansas City with Rocky Colavito and now me. All I can do is forget last year and try to get a fresh start. I’ll certainly give Kansas City my best.” From Independence, Mo., where Siebern is a neighbor of former President Truman, the new Baltimore first baseman expressed delight at becoming an Oriole. “I’ll be happy to be playing with Hank Bauer again.” Siebern played with Bauer in New York and Kansas City and was also managed by Bauer in Kansas City. “I thought Hank did a tremendous job as manager of the A’s,” Siebern added. “They have a real find club at Baltimore. I’m glad I won’t be hitting against their pitching staff next season.”
