Aubrey Gatewood – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Aubrey Gatewood wrapped up his professional baseball career in 1970, closing out a journey through Major League Baseball that touched parts of four seasons. He suited up for the Los Angeles/California Angels from 1963 to 1965, then finished things off with the Atlanta Braves in 1970, putting together a sharp 2.78 earned run average over 68 games.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Gatewood made his MLB debut on September 11, 1963. He threw a complete game and picked up the win against the Boston Red Sox. This righty really made an impression with his pitching, especially early on with the Angels.

His career stats show 8 wins, 9 losses, and 75 strikeouts in 178 innings pitched.

Gatewood’s story is all about the ups and downs of playing pro ball in the 1960s. From his impressive debut to his last appearance in July 1970, he experienced the realities of player development and team changes during a transformative time for baseball.

Quick Facts About Aubrey Gatewood

Aubrey Lee Gatewood pitched four seasons in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1970. Folks called him “Woody.” He put up a career ERA of 2.78 with the Los Angeles/California Angels and Atlanta Braves.

Personal Background

Aubrey Lee Gatewood was born November 17, 1938, in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He grew up there and eventually passed away in the same city on June 5, 2019, at age 80.

He attended North Little Rock High School, then went to Arkansas State University from 1957 to 1959. While at Arkansas State, he crossed paths with another ballplayer, Weldon Bowlin.

Gatewood stood 6 feet 1 inch and weighed 170 pounds. The Detroit Tigers signed him in June 1959, but his journey to the majors took a turn when the Los Angeles Angels picked him up in the expansion draft.

The New York Mets selected him in the 1961 Rule V Draft. Even with that pick, Gatewood ended up back with the Angels, where he’d finally break into the big leagues.

MLB Positions and Playing Style

Gatewood pitched exclusively during his four MLB seasons. He threw and batted right-handed, sticking with that style his whole career.

His role changed a lot while he was in the majors. At first, Gatewood worked mostly as a starting pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels in 1963 and 1964.

Later, the Angels moved him into a relief pitcher spot. That change happened with the California Angels in 1965 and then with the Atlanta Braves in 1970.

He had arm troubles in the mid-1960s, so Gatewood learned a knuckleball to keep his career alive. That pitch helped him make it back to the majors after spending four years in the minors from 1966 to 1969.

Key Career Statistics

Gatewood pitched in 68 games over four MLB seasons, putting up solid numbers in his limited time. His career ERA of 2.78 really says a lot about his ability.

His top season came in 1963 when he posted a 1.50 ERA in 24 innings as a rookie. The next year, he kept it up with a 2.24 ERA over 60⅓ innings.

Gatewood’s last MLB game came on July 8, 1970, against the San Francisco Giants for Atlanta. He pitched just two innings in three games during that short return.

Outside the majors, Gatewood spent 11 years in the minor leagues, mostly as a starting pitcher. After he retired from baseball in 1971, he went into the insurance business.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Aubrey Gatewood pitched in the majors for four seasons between 1963 and 1970. He finished with an 8-9 record and a 2.78 ERA over 68 games.

He started out as a starter for the Los Angeles Angels. Later, he became mostly a relief pitcher for the California Angels and Atlanta Braves.

MLB Debut and Early Impact

Gatewood debuted in the big leagues on September 11, 1963, for the Los Angeles Angels. In his first game, he threw a complete game.

He showed promise right away. In just 24 innings that season, Gatewood posted a sharp 1.50 ERA, making himself a solid addition to the Angels’ rotation.

His strong start made people think he could stick as a major league starter. The Angels had grabbed him in the expansion draft after the Detroit Tigers originally signed him in 1959.

Notable Seasons with Los Angeles Angels

Gatewood’s best years in the majors were with the Angels in 1964 and 1965. In 1964, he kept pitching well, putting up a 2.24 ERA in 60⅓ innings.

He mostly started games during these seasons. Out of his 68 MLB appearances, he started 13 times—most of those starts came with Los Angeles.

In 1965, Gatewood moved into the bullpen for the newly named California Angels. He pitched in 46 games that year, had a 3.42 ERA, and took on his new relief role.

With the Angels, Gatewood showed he could do a little bit of everything. He struck out 75 batters and walked 67 over his career, showing steady control.

Final MLB Season with Atlanta Braves

After four years in the minors fighting arm problems, Gatewood made it back to the majors in 1970 with the Atlanta Braves. He only got into three relief games that year.

At 31, Gatewood pitched just two innings in his last MLB season. He allowed one run, which gave him a 4.50 ERA in that short stint.

His last big league game was July 8, 1970. Gatewood’s career wrapped up with 68 games pitched, a 2.78 ERA, and a 1.307 WHIP.

That gap between his Angels days and his time with the Braves really shows how much he battled injuries in the late 1960s.

Career Timeline and Team Affiliations

Aubrey Gatewood’s pro baseball journey stretched from 1959 to 1971. He started with the Detroit Tigers and spent key years with the Los Angeles/California Angels and Atlanta Braves.

He moved teams a few times through expansion drafts, trades, and long stretches in the minors.

Beginnings with Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers signed Gatewood as an amateur free agent on June 12, 1959. That kicked off his pro career after Arkansas State University.

Gatewood spent his first few years developing in the Tigers’ minor league system. Detroit helped him build up his pitching foundation, but he didn’t stick with them for long.

The Tigers lost him in the expansion draft just over a year later. That move really changed Gatewood’s path to the majors.

Angels Expansion Draft and Early Years

The Los Angeles Angels picked Gatewood 11th overall in the expansion draft on December 14, 1960. That gave him a new start with a fresh franchise.

The New York Mets then selected him in the Rule 5 draft on November 27, 1961. But the Angels brought him back on April 6, 1962.

Gatewood made his MLB debut September 11, 1963, with the Angels. He pitched well that season, posting a 1.50 ERA in 24 innings. In 1964, he kept up the strong work with a 2.24 ERA over 60⅓ innings.

The team became the California Angels in 1965, and Gatewood mostly moved to relief. He pitched in 46 games that year with a 3.42 ERA before the team sold him to the Cincinnati Reds in July 1966.

Trade Moves and Minor League Stints

After joining Cincinnati in 1966, Gatewood bounced around and spent more time in the minors. From 1966 to 1969, he pitched in different minor league systems while dealing with “arm troubles.”

During those years, several teams picked him up, but none brought him back to the majors. Gatewood worked on a knuckleball to help overcome his injuries.

The Atlanta Braves finally gave Gatewood another major league shot in 1970. He pitched just two innings in a handful of games that season. His last MLB appearance came July 8, 1970.

Gatewood played one more year in the minors before retiring in 1971. He pitched four MLB seasons, all with the Angels and Braves.

Key Games and Milestones

Aubrey Gatewood’s four MLB seasons included some memorable moments. His debut against Boston showed what he could do, and his final game with Atlanta ended his time in the majors.

Major League Debut Performance

Gatewood made his MLB debut on September 11, 1963, at age 24 against the Boston Red Sox. He went the distance, pitching nine innings in his first outing.

He allowed just four hits, struck out five, and walked five. The rookie gave up only one earned run and picked up his first win.

That debut showed Gatewood’s potential as a starter for the Angels. His 1.50 ERA in four September appearances as a rookie hinted at a bright future.

The complete game win put Gatewood on the map as a real prospect in the Angels’ rotation. For that era, it’s still one of the more memorable debuts by an Angels pitcher.

Highlight Games and Pivotal Moments

Gatewood’s best season came in 1964 with the Angels. He went 3-3 with a 2.24 ERA and made seven starts in 15 games, showing he could handle both starting and relief work.

On July 14, 1964, Gatewood became the first Angels player to wear uniform number 38 in a regular season game. That marked his switch from rookie number 33.

He pitched 60.1 innings that year and struck out 25. Gatewood showed better control, walking only 12 batters after issuing 16 in just 24 innings the year before.

In 1965, Gatewood mostly pitched out of the bullpen for the California Angels. He appeared in 46 games, started just three, and finished with a 4-5 record and a 3.42 ERA.

Final MLB Appearance

Gatewood’s big league career ended quickly with the Atlanta Braves in 1970. After five years away from the majors, he got into three games that season.

His last game came July 8, 1970, against the San Francisco Giants. It didn’t go well—Gatewood lasted just a third of an inning and allowed six runs.

He gave up two singles, two walks, and a triple, and hit Ron Hunt with a pitch. Two more hitters reached on errors during that wild inning.

Only one of the six runs was earned, but that outing pretty much ended his pro career. Gatewood never pitched in the majors again after that rough day at age 31.

Legacy and Life After Baseball

Aubrey Gatewood left behind a unique statistical legacy as one of the rare pitchers who actually performed better in the majors than in the minors. After retiring, he stepped away from the baseball spotlight and settled back in Arkansas.

Reputation and Influence in MLB

Gatewood carved out a unique spot in baseball history because of his odd split between major and minor league performance. He finished his MLB career with an 8-9 record and a 2.78 ERA, but really struggled in the minors, where he went 61-90 with a 4.36 ERA.

This kind of reverse pattern turned him into a true statistical outlier in pro baseball. Gatewood once said, “I have more confidence pitching up here. Just put a little mustard on the ball and throw it over the plate.”

He made his MLB debut on September 11, 1963. That night, he beat the Red Sox 4-1, tossing a four-hitter and coming close to a complete game shutout.

Later in his career, Gatewood picked up the knuckleball, which caught the attention of a lot of baseball folks. Columnist Lewis Grizzard even compared his potential to Phil Niekro, though he pointed out Gatewood picked up the pitch too late to really make it count.

Recognition and Honors

Gatewood didn’t get much formal recognition during his short time in the majors. The biggest moment probably came in 1963, when he made the All-Star team while playing for the Nashville Volunteers in the minors.

That All-Star nod helped him get called up to the majors that September. In Nashville, he put up a 3.37 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 139 innings, showing flashes of what he could do.

His major league debut against Boston stayed one of his career highlights. That complete game victory really showed he could hang at the top level.

Post-Retirement Life

After he hung up his glove in 1971, Gatewood went back to North Little Rock, Arkansas, his hometown. He pretty much stayed out of the baseball spotlight for almost fifty years.

Gatewood passed away on June 5, 2019, at age 80 in North Little Rock. He spent his last years in the same city where he was born on November 17, 1938.

His passing closed a chapter on the early days of the Angels franchise. Los Angeles picked him in their 1960 expansion draft, so he was part of the team’s original foundation.

People in the baseball community remembered him as a pitcher who pushed through a lot, from elbow issues to bouncing up and down between the majors and minors.

Net Worth and Personal Insights

Not much is out there about Aubrey Gatewood’s baseball earnings during his four-season career from 1963-1970. He kept his personal life pretty private, and most of what’s known focuses on his Arkansas roots and his time in baseball.

Financial Overview

Nobody really knows Aubrey Gatewood’s exact net worth, since financial records for 1960s ballplayers almost never went public. His four years in the majors came at a time when salaries lagged way behind what players make now.

While he was with the Los Angeles/California Angels (1963-1965) and Atlanta Braves (1970), he earned what we’d now call modest wages. Back then, most players picked up off-season jobs to make ends meet.

Gatewood pitched in 68 games, finishing with a solid 2.78 ERA. He worked both as a starter and a reliever, which probably helped him keep a job, but didn’t really mean a bigger paycheck.

Personal Life and Family

Aubrey Lee Gatewood was born on November 17, 1938, in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

He kept close ties to his hometown all his life. After his baseball career, he decided to move back there.

During his playing days, teammates started calling him “Woody.” In his rookie season, he wore jersey number 33.

On July 14, 1964, he became the first Angels player to wear number 38 in a regular season game.

Gatewood died on June 5, 2019, at age 80, in North Little Rock. He lived a quiet life after baseball, mostly out of the public eye.