It seems like every week now the Sox are losing a member of the family.
Saw where he passed away Monday at the age of 84. Joe was in a retirement home in the San Antonio area where he'd spent the last several years. He was suffering from Alzheimer's and basically couldn't remember anything about his baseball career.
Had the chance to do a long interview with him in 2005 and got to know him before his health turned bad.
He was an excellent pitcher on those very, very good Sox teams of the mid 1960's. Led the league in ERA one year, finished runner-up in the Cy Young voting in 1967 (he should have won it), came within two outs of a no-hitter in 1963, then pitched one in the middle of a pennant race in 1967.
He also had the "distinction" of being one of only two MLB players (that I know of) to make his debut wearing a blank jersey!
This is from my interview with him where he talked about it:
JH: “I was actually supposed to start the next day’s game. Because of that the Sox felt they were going to have some time getting a jersey for me. I was sitting in the bullpen wearing my warm up jacket because I was a little embarrassed and the guys were giving it to me. Then during the middle of the game the phone rings and Al Lopez (Author’s Note: White Sox manager) said to get me up and ready. The Sox had used a lot of pitchers in the series right before going to Minnesota and they were shorthanded. (Author’s Note: It was a five game series in Washington that had two double headers in a span of three days. The Sox would win four of the five games played.) So I go in and right as I’m ready to throw my first pitch in the majors, Twins manager Sam Mele called time and went out to talk with the home plate umpire. (Author’s Note: Mele played for the White Sox in 1952 and 1953.) Mele is talking and then he points to me and shrugs his shoulders like ‘Who the heck is that guy?’ Everyone got a good laugh out of it including myself and it might have helped me since it relieved the tension.”
Hope Joe is able to rest in peace now.
Saw where he passed away Monday at the age of 84. Joe was in a retirement home in the San Antonio area where he'd spent the last several years. He was suffering from Alzheimer's and basically couldn't remember anything about his baseball career.
Had the chance to do a long interview with him in 2005 and got to know him before his health turned bad.
He was an excellent pitcher on those very, very good Sox teams of the mid 1960's. Led the league in ERA one year, finished runner-up in the Cy Young voting in 1967 (he should have won it), came within two outs of a no-hitter in 1963, then pitched one in the middle of a pennant race in 1967.
He also had the "distinction" of being one of only two MLB players (that I know of) to make his debut wearing a blank jersey!
This is from my interview with him where he talked about it:
JH: “I was actually supposed to start the next day’s game. Because of that the Sox felt they were going to have some time getting a jersey for me. I was sitting in the bullpen wearing my warm up jacket because I was a little embarrassed and the guys were giving it to me. Then during the middle of the game the phone rings and Al Lopez (Author’s Note: White Sox manager) said to get me up and ready. The Sox had used a lot of pitchers in the series right before going to Minnesota and they were shorthanded. (Author’s Note: It was a five game series in Washington that had two double headers in a span of three days. The Sox would win four of the five games played.) So I go in and right as I’m ready to throw my first pitch in the majors, Twins manager Sam Mele called time and went out to talk with the home plate umpire. (Author’s Note: Mele played for the White Sox in 1952 and 1953.) Mele is talking and then he points to me and shrugs his shoulders like ‘Who the heck is that guy?’ Everyone got a good laugh out of it including myself and it might have helped me since it relieved the tension.”
Hope Joe is able to rest in peace now.
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