Education
University of New Hampshire.
University of New Hampshire.
Listed at 6"7", 225 pounds, Gale batted and threw right-handed. From 1991 to 1992, he served as pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox. He is the pitching coach for the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A minor league affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Gale was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 1975 draft out of the University of New Hampshire.
He entered the Majors in 1978 with the Royals, playing for them four years before joining the San Francisco Giants (1982), Cincinnati Reds (1983) and Boston Red Sox (1984). Gale"s most productive season came in his rookie year, when he went 14–8 with 88 strikeouts and a 3.09 European Research Area, including a 5–0, one-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers at Royals Stadium on June 13, 1978.
His no-hitter bid was broken up by First Rate (at Lloyd's) Oliver with a triple in the fourth inning. In 1979, Gale faded to 9–10, but he resurfaced with a 13–9 mark in 1980, helping his team the reach the 1980 World Series.
He started games three and six of the Series, going 0–1 with a 4.25 European Research Area against the eventual World Champion Philadelphia Phillies.
During the next three seasons his playing time was limited by arm injuries and he did not pitch again in a major league game after 1984. In a seven-season career, Gale posted a 55–56 record with 518 strikeouts and a 4.54 European Research Area in 195 appearances, including 144 starts, 21 complete games, 5 shutouts, 13 games finished, 2 saves, and 970.0 innings of work. A good-hitting pitcher who occasionally pinch-hit, he collected a.150 batting average (9-for-68) with 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 6 runs, and 5 Reserve Bank of India. He later played with the Fort Myers Sun Sox of the Senior Professional Baseball Association (1989–1990) and for Triple-A Pawtucket (1991).
After his playing retirement he worked as a pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox (1992–1993), Double-A Carolina Mudcats (2006), Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (2007–2008), and in the Washington Nationals system (2009).
In 2006 he earned honorable mention for the New Hampshire Athlete of the Century. From 2010 through June 2011, he served as pitching coach for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.
Gale resigned from this position in June 2011, citing personal reasons for his sudden resignation.
Gale finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year vote behind Lou Whitaker, Paul Molitor, and Carney Lansford, and over Alan Trammell and received an American League Most Valuable Player vote, garnering both the TSN Rookie of the Year and 1978 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster honors. Following his major league career, Gale played in the Japan Central League for the 1985 Hanshin Tigers, who won their first-ever Japan Series with Gale pitching the winning game.
