Former baseball player Gary Joseph Gaetti won the 1987 World Series with the Minnesota Twins. Gaetti was the first player to ever smash home runs in each of his first two postseason at-bats in 1987. From 2012 through 2017, Gaetti served as the manager of the independent Sugar Land Skeeters.
Gary Gaetti | Early Life And Education
Former baseball player, Gary Gaetti was born on August 19, 1958, in Centralia, Illinois, USA. Moreover, Gary’s Parents were Jackie Gaetti and Bill Gaetti.
Moreover, Cheryl Gaetti is his older sister. Back then, his mother worked as an office manager and secretary, and his father was a blue-collar railroad worker.
Baseball and beer were the two important things in Gary’s youth, according to him. Baseball had worn him out, and he played catch a lot.
Every time his father came home, he and his father would play ball. Every year, the entire family would travel to St. Louis to watch baseball games at Busch Stadium.
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On that same trip, Gary obtained a bat from Dick Schofield and an autograph from Lou Brock.
Gary began early in the line and kept playing it all the way through high school and beyond.
Education
At the age of thirteen, Gary had already shown his potential with a home run that went 250 feet past the tree.
Gary dedicated himself to Centralia High School and amazed everyone with his aggression and charisma.
In fact, he received all-state honors in baseball and football at the time. In addition to baseball, Gary was a standout quarterback and safety in football.
After high school, though, Gary didn’t receive many job offers and chose to join his father at the railroad instead. However, Bill Gaetti put him on the student roll at Lincoln Land Community College.
Gary then recommenced playing baseball. Later, he competed in sports for Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, and Northwest Missouri State University.
Gary Gaetti | Age And Body Measurement
Former baseball player, Gary Gaetti is currently 64 years old. Moreover, Gaetti’s sun sign is Leo.
The baseball player is 6 feet (183 cm). In addition, he weighs 81 kg (180 lbs).
Gary Gaetti | Wife And Kids
Gary’s first wife, Debby, was the love of his minor league days; they were together for ten years.
But after the 1994 season, they divorced and split up, putting an end to their union. Their shared children were Joseph (Joe) and Jacob.
Gary also asserts that a change in their way of life led to their divorce. The following year, he married Donna, his second wife, and the two went on to have a daughter they called Gigi Gaetti.
They tragically couldn’t make their relationship work, so he wedded Joni in 2014.
One of the kids, Joe Gaetti, enrolled at North Carolina State to continue his father’s baseball playing career. Sadly, he was unable to succeed professionally in it.
Gary Gaetti | Career
In the MLB draft, Gary was actually selected three times overall. The St. Louis Cardinals selected him first during the Major League Baseball draft in the fourth round on January 1978.
Later, he was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the June secondary draft of the same year.
Last but not least, the Minnesota Twins selected him in the first round in the June secondary round of the 1979 draft.
He was chosen by the Twins after transferring to Missouri State University during his stay there.
He had previously declined the White Sox and Cardinals’ offers. Gary goes into greater detail about the incident that led to his biggest game-changing break.
Minnesota Twins
His career began with the Elizabethton, Tennessee Twins Rookie-level club before he subsequently started playing professionally.
He then played in the Appalachian League, the AA-level Orlando Twins of the Southern League, and the A-level Wisconsin Rapids Twins of the Midwest League during the first three years of his career.
His success in the lower league earned him a spot in the major league, where he homered in his first at-bat. As a result, Gary finished fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.
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Gary played for the Twins for the entirety of his nine-year career and earned four consecutive Gold Glove Awards for his exceptional fielding.
He was the Series MVP and led the Twins to their first World Series triumphs.
In the American League Championship Series, he also prevailed in his first two postseason plate appearances.
He also won two further Gold Glove Awards in addition to his initial two All-Star selections.
California Angels
The California Angels then agreed to a four-year, $11.4 million deal with Gary. However, it was also the season that his performance started to decline.
By the 1993 season, Gary was a reserve player. As a result, he was cut loose by the Angels prior to the expiration of his contract.
Kansas City Royals
After joining the Kansas City Royals, Gary resumed playing, maintaining a career-high 35 home runs.
He rapidly established himself as the best offensive third baseman in the AL.
St. Louis Cardinals
After playing for the Royals for two seasons, Gary signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Cardinals. In the same 1996 season, he contributed to the squad with many home runs.
He progressively received his 2,000th career hit the following year. Gary asserted that during his 2.5 years there, his childhood dream came true.
Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox
Gary signed a contract with the Cubs on his 40th birthday and played a complete season with them.
Together with the team, he claimed the National League wild card. He joined the Boston Red Sox shortly after, but he was only able to play in five of their games.
The only thing on Gary’s mind at that moment was retirement as he started to play more slowly after a season.
Gary Gaetti | Retirement
Gary, who is recognized as the greatest home run hitter of all time, retired from baseball in 2000 after filling in as a bullpen reliever in an emergency.
He apparently spoke with his wife before deciding to step down. A Class-AAA affiliate of the Houston Astros, the New Orleans Zephyrs, hired Gary as their hitting coach.
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In simple terms. He continued to play in the MLB even after his retirement. After almost five years of employment, he resigned as the Class-AAA Durham Bulls coach in North Carolina.
Then, in the Atlantic League, he was the Sugar Land Skeeters’ manager from 2012 until 2017.
Gary Gaetti | Honors And Achievements
- Two All-Star (1988 and 1989)
- winner of the World Series (1987)
- ALC MVP (1987)
- four Gold Glove Award (1986–1989)
- Slugger Award for Silver (1995)
- Legends of the Minnesota Twins
- Finished fifth in the voting for American League Rookie of the Year in 1982.
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Gary Gaetti | Net Worth & Salary
Gary Gaetti’s current net worth is estimated to be $10.5 million.
Due to MLB’s preference to maintain the confidentiality of their payment records, we only have a very limited amount of information regarding his career earnings.
During his MLB career, he reportedly earned roughly $21.5 million.
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Between 1991 and 1993, he also received an annual salary of $3 million. Similar to this, from 1996 through 1999 the former baseball player earned $2 million annually, with the exception of 1998 when he earned $1.6 million.
Social Media Presence
FAQs:
Has Gary Gaetti hit a grand slam?
Yes, on October 10, 1996, at Fulton County Stadium, Gary Gaetti hits a grand slam off Greg Maddux to help the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Atlanta Braves 8-3 and tie the National League Championship Series.
Was Gary Gaetti part of the Minnesota Twins deal that sent him to the California Angels?
No, the baseball player joined the Angels in 1991 after leaving the Twins as a free agency.
What is Gary Gaetti’s jersey number?
The professional baseball team Minnesota Twins’ number eight jersey featured Gary Gaetti.
Are the Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer Gary Gaetti?
On August 19, 2007, Gary Gaetti was admitted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.
Quick Facts:
| Full Name | Gary Joseph Gaetti |
| Date of Birth | August 19, 1958 |
| Birth Place | Centralia, Illinois, USA |
| Nickname | The Rat |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Age | 64 years old |
| Height | 6 feet (183 cm) |
| Weight | 81 kg (180 lbs) |
| Hair Color | Brown (natural) |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Bill Gaetti |
| Mother’s Name | Jackie (Shahan) |
| Siblings | An elder sister, Cheryl Gaetti |
| Education | Centralia High School Lincoln Land Community College Lake Land College Northwest Missouri State University. |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Debby and Donna (former wives), Joni (current wife, married in 2014) |
| Kids | Two sons; Joe Gaetti and Jacob Gaetti A daughter; Gigi Gaetti |
| Profession | Former Baseball player |
| Position | Third baseman |
| Affiliations | Minnesota Twins California Angels Kansas City Royals St. Louis Cardinals Chicago Cubs Boston Red Sox |
| Throws and Bats | Right |
| Net Worth | $1.6 million |
| Social Media | |
| Merch | Autographed Baseball Card, Signed Baseball |
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