Career
Born in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, he threw right-handed and was listed at 6 feet 2 inches (188 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg). Gumbert"s career began in 1930 in minor league baseball, and after winning 19 games for the International League edition of the Baltimore Orioles in 1935, Gumbert was acquired by the New York Giants late in that season. He worked in relief in both the 1936 World Series and the 1937 Fall Classic, and was treated harshly by the victorious New York Yankees, allowing 12 hits and 12 earned runs in four total games pitched and 3⅓ innings.
Traded to the Saint Louis Cardinals in May 1941, he worked for two more pennant winners and compiled a stellar.667 winning percentage (34–17) and earned run average (291) as a Redbird.
He also made a brief appearance (two-thirds of an inning pitched, and no earned runs allowed) in the 1942 World Series, in which the Cardinals defeated the Yankees in five games. Gumbert spent his final five seasons in MLB with the second division Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.
As a reliever with Cincinnati, he led the Netherlands in games pitched (61), games finished (46) and saves (17) in 1948. He missed the 1945 season while serving in the United States Army.
He struck out 709, and registered 96 complete games, 13 shut outs and 46 career saves.
Gumbert was known as one of the best fielding pitchers of his time. In 1938 he set a National League record for assists by a pitcher, recording 10 on May 23.
