University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Athletics

In the two years Jim Gantner attended UW-Oshkosh, the baseball standout led the Titans to a third-place finish in the 1973 NAIA World Series and fifth-place in 1974. During those two seasons, UW-Oshkosh won the WSUC title, the NAIA District 14 crown and the Area 4 championship.

The former Titan shortstop, who helped UW-Oshkosh to a 56-20 record, was also a member of the NAIA 20-Year Bicentennial All-National Tournament team.

Gantner's name still appears in the Titan baseball record books. He is fourth on UW-Oshkosh’s career hits list with 54 in 1973 (Ken Hartwig is the leader with 58 in 1974). Gantner is also tied for fourth in career runs with 43 (Gary Varsho, 1981, has the most with 54).

Gantner played baseball four years at Cambellsport High School and also led the conference in scoring in basketball his senior year.

Gantner signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1974 after they selected him in the 12th round of the MLB Amateur Draft.and progressed through their farm system to the New York-Penn league. He was a member of the all-star team in 1974 in that league and then a member of the Eastern League All-Star team in 1976. In 1977 he was a member of the Pacific Coast League All-Star team.

Gantner made his major league debut on Sept. 3, 1976, and was a mainstay in the Brewers’ lineup through his final season of 1992. He played second base for the American League champion Brewers in the 1982 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Defensively, Gantner led the American League twice in both double plays turned and putouts and once in assists. He finished his 17-year career with a stellar .985 fielding percentage.

Gantner continues to be among the Brewers’ all-time offensive leaders. He ranks third in team history with 1,801 games and 2,722 at-bats; fourth with 1,696 hits, 726 runs and 38 triples; fifth with 137 stolen bases; sixth with 262 doubles; and ninth with 568 runs batted in.

Gantner was elected to the UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame in 1984, the Old Time Ballplayers' Association of Wisconsin Hall of Fame with fellow Titan Jack Friess in 2012 and was named to the WIAC’s All-Time Baseball Team in 2012. He was selected to the Brewers Walk of Fame in 2004 and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.