Jim has been on Sportspulse for the last two years on numerous occasions speaking on baseball. He was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. While Gentile was with the Dodgers, Roy Campanella gave him the nickname of "Diamond". A reporter asked Campanella what he thought of the lefty power hitter. Campanella's reply: "He's like a diamond in the rough."

The Dodgers traded Gentile to the Orioles in 1960, and Jim found a home in Baltimore with the fans for the next four years. Gentile claims Manager Paul Richards was a tough manager, but he did give Jim the opportunity to play every day, and the results spoke for themselves.

In 1961, Gentile hit five grand slams, and Chuck Estrada, one of my other analysts, was the winning pitcher in all five games. Later on, a young fellow from Florida named John "Boog" Powell emerged. One night Diamond had the flu and did not make the trip to Washington to play against the Senators. Boog started at first, and proceeded to hit three homers. Jim remarked to his wife that he believed their time in Baltimore was short. It was. He was traded to Kansas City for Norm Siebern in 1964. He later played for Houston and Cleveland before retiring in 1966. Gentile finished with 179 homers, of which 124 were hit as a Baltimore Oriole. His best year was in 1961, hitting 46 homers with 141 runs batted in. Jim made the All-Stars three times - in 1960, 1961 and 1962 - all as an Oriole. When the All-Star Game was played in San Francisco, Jim, a native son, had his last name mispronounced in Candlestick Park by the long-time PA announcer.

Jim decided in 2001 to try managing a minor league team in the Texas Independent League, the Ft. Worth Cats. Former Ranger player Pete O'Brien was his general manager. Jim is a yearly instructor at the Orioles Fantasy Camp in Sarasota, Florida, and his team will play in the Championship for Fantasy Camp to be held at Oriole Park the weekend of June 19th.

Today, Jim and his wife Paula reside in Oklahoma and are avid Sooners fans. They still have many friends in the Baltimore area, and visit often. A sidebar. Paula surprised Jim with a birthday party. When they went to the airport, Jim headed to what he thought was the correct gate, but Paula guided him to the Baltimore gate. When they arrived at the Babe Ruth Museum, family and friends were there to make his day.

Jim will be on Sportspulse sometime in April. Sportspulse is heard on 91.1 FM WHFC from 7-9 pm on Saturdays. Sportspulse Remote from Johnny V's in Fallston every Tuesday at 7:30 pm (except Tuesday, March 25th). The Sportspulse website is allravens.com.

Trivia question: What number did Jim wear as an Oriole? First person to e-mail me with the correct response gets their name in my column for the next Where Are They Now? In the next column: Whatever happened to Don Stanhouse?

Rick Manick