An all-everything baseball player, Ken Gerhart ran and hit with power from the get-go, traits that got him drafted by the Baltimore Orioles at the end of the 1982 season. All-OVC in 1981 and 1982, Gerhart captured the OVC Player of the Year Award in 1982 while leading the Blue Raiders in almost every offensive category. In just 48 games, Gerhart had 69 hits, 49 runs, 12 home runs and stole 17 bases.
After signing with the Orioles, he led the Class A Carolina League in home runs (31) while also making the league's All-Star team. Gerhart played in 215 major league games for the Orioles during the 1986-89 seasons. He also established a lifelong friendship with his roommate, Cal Ripken Jr.
