1976 Topps #447 - Gene Locklear

• Gene Locklear played parts of six seasons in the majors from 1973-1977. He had a .308 lifetime minor league batting average but never really made it in the majors. Gene is a full-blooded member of the Lumbee people in North Carolina.
• Locklear was signed by the Cincinnati Reds in 1969. He played in the minors from 1969-1972 and made the Reds' roster in 1973. Gene was batting .192 in 26 at bats when he was traded with Mike Johnson and cash to the San Diego Padres for Fred Norman on June 12. Locklear batted .240 in 154 at bats for the Padres in 1973.
• In 1974 Gene batted .341 for AAA Hawaii. He played in 39 games for the Padres and batted .270 in 74 at bats. Locklear had his best major league season in 1975. He again split time between Hawaii and San Diego and batted .321 in 237 at bats for the Padres.
• Locklear started the 1976 season with the Padres. He batted .224 in 67 at bats and was traded to the New York Yankees for Rick Sawyer on July 10. Gene was in the minors for most of the 1976 season and batted .219 in 32 at bats for the Yankees in August and September.
• Gene batted .290 in 121 games for AAA Syracuse in 1977. He went 3 for 5 in the one game he played for the Yankees in '77. Locklear went to Japan and played for the Nippon Ham Fighters in 1978.
• After his playing career Gene became a commercial artist. Here is his website.