Gene Rye

{{Short description|American baseball player (1906–1980)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Gene Rye

|image=

|position=Left fielder

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1906|11|15}}

|birth_place=Chicago, Illinois

|death_date={{death date and age|1980|1|21|1906|11|15}}

|death_place=Park Ridge, Illinois

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 22

|debutyear=1931

|debutteam=Boston Red Sox

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=June 6

|finalyear=1931

|finalteam=Boston Red Sox

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Games played

|stat1value=17

|stat2label=Batting average

|stat2value=.179

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=1

|teams=

• Boston Red Sox ({{baseball year|1931}})

}}

Eugene Rudolph Rye [Half-Pint] (November 15, 1906 – January 21, 1980) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Boston Red Sox during the {{by|1931}} season.

Listed at 5'6", 165 lb., Rye batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

His birth name was Eugene Rudolph Mercantelli, the son of Amedeo Menotti Mercantelli (1866-1950) and Daria "Dora" Frediani (1867-1920).{{Cite web|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/841eb32d|title=Gene Rye {{!}} Society for American Baseball Research|website=Sabr.org|language=en|access-date=2017-10-06}} He was born in Chicago, Illinois. Rye married Julia Swentko on October 28, 1950.

Used as a pinch hitter by Boston, Rye also shared duties at left field with Al Van Camp and Jack Rothrock. In a 17-game career, he posted a .179 batting average (7-for-39) with three runs and one run batted in with no extra-base hits. In 10 outfield appearances, he had 10 putouts and committed an error for a .944 fielding percentage.

Rye hit three home runs in one inning in 1930 while playing with the Waco Cubs in the Texas League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/texas/history/performances|title=Texas League Incredible Performances|website=MiLB.com|access-date=23 November 2021}} The third home run is considered one of the greatest minor league baseball home runs of all time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/greatesthomerunslist.html|title=ESPN.com - Page2 - 100 Greatest Home Runs of All Time|website=Espn.com|access-date=23 November 2021}}

When Rye was 29 years old he finished his professional baseball career after his 1936 season.

Rye died at the age of 73 in Park Ridge, Illinois.