Joe Altobelli facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Altobelli
Altobelli in 1983, the year he won a World Series
First baseman / Manager
Born: (1932-05-26)May 26, 1932 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died: March 3, 2021(2021-03-03) (aged 88) Rochester, New York, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
April 14, 1955, for the Cleveland Indians
Last appearance
October 1, 1961, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
Batting average	.210
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	28
Managerial record	437–407
Winning %	.518
Teams
As player Cleveland Indians (1955, 1957) Minnesota Twins (1961) As manager San Francisco Giants (1977–1979) Baltimore Orioles (1983–1985) Chicago Cubs (1991)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (1983)

Joseph Salvatore Altobelli (born May 26, 1932 – died March 3, 2021) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played as a first baseman and outfielder for the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins in Major League Baseball (MLB). Later, he became a manager for the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and Chicago Cubs. He batted and threw with his left hand.

Joe Altobelli is best known for leading the Baltimore Orioles to a World Series championship in 1983. He took over as manager from Earl Weaver that year. After a long career in baseball, he retired in 2009. For over ten years, he worked as a color commentator for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings team.

Early Life and Baseball Start

Joe Altobelli was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 26, 1932. When he was in high school at Eastern High School, he was a talented athlete. He earned special recognition in baseball, football, and basketball. Before the 1951 baseball season, the Cleveland Indians signed him as a young player.

Playing Career Highlights

Even though Joe Altobelli played only a few games in the Major Leagues, he had great success in the minor leagues. After joining the Indians, he played for their team in Daytona Beach in 1951. On April 26, he started a 36-game hitting streak. This was a record for the Florida State League for 59 years! In that season, he got 204 hits and had a .341 batting average.

He moved up to the Eastern League the next year. He played well for the Reading Indians, helping them win the Eastern League championship in 1953. In 1954, he won another championship with the Indianapolis Indians. His good performance earned him a chance to play in the Major Leagues.

First Major League Games

Altobelli made his first MLB appearance on April 14, 1955, in his hometown of Detroit. He was a pinch runner in that game. A week later, he got his first hit and RBI. He played 42 games for the Cleveland Indians that season.

In 1956, Joe played for the Indianapolis Indians again. The team had a fantastic year, winning the American Association championship. They also won the Junior World Series. That year, Joe hit 19 home runs and had 81 RBIs.

Altobelli spent most of 1957 with the Cleveland Indians. He often played as a pinch hitter or filled in at first base and right field. Overall, as a player, he batted .210 in 166 MLB games. However, he was a powerful hitter in the AAA minor leagues. In 1960, he led the International League with 31 home runs and 105 RBIs while playing for the Montreal Royals.

Joe also played baseball in Venezuela during three winter seasons. He even won a batting title in 1955–56 with a .378 average for the Gavilanes de Maracaibo team.

Coaching and Managing Career

In 1966, Joe Altobelli began his career as a manager in the Baltimore Orioles' minor league system. He managed the Rochester Red Wings for six seasons (1971–1976). During this time, his team finished in first place four times.

Managing in the Major Leagues

Altobelli became a Major League manager for the first time with the San Francisco Giants in 1977. In 1978, his team won 16 more games than they lost and finished third in their division. He managed the Giants until 1979.

After that, Altobelli worked for the New York Yankees. He managed their AAA minor league team, the Columbus Clippers, and then became a coach for the Yankees from 1981 to 1982.

On November 12, 1982, Joe Altobelli signed a contract to manage the Baltimore Orioles. He took over from the famous manager Earl Weaver. The Orioles had a great year under Altobelli in 1983. They won 98 games and finished first in the American League East Division. Then, they won the American League Championship Series (ALCS). Finally, the Orioles defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1983 World Series, winning the championship in five games!

In 1984, the Orioles did not do as well, finishing fifth in their division. In 1985, after a tough start to the season, Altobelli was replaced by Earl Weaver, who came out of retirement.

Altobelli returned to coaching with the Yankees (1986–1987) and then the Chicago Cubs (1988–1991). He even served as an interim manager for one game for the Cubs in 1991.

Return to Rochester

In 1991, Joe Altobelli returned to Rochester. The next year, he became the general manager of the Red Wings. He held this role for three years. After that, he worked as a special assistant for the team president until 1997.

In 1998, he started working as a color commentator for Red Wings home games. He announced his retirement in early 2009. This was the first time he was not involved in organized baseball since 1950.

Joe Altobelli was known as Rochester's "Mr. Baseball." His jersey number 26 was the first number ever retired by the team. He was also one of the first people inducted into the Red Wings Hall of Fame. In 2010, a statue of Altobelli was placed at Frontier Field. A plaque on the statue notes that he is the only person to have been a player, coach, manager, and general manager for the Rochester Red Wings.

Managerial Record

Personal Life and Legacy

Joe Altobelli lived in Rochester, New York. He married Patsy Ruth Wooten in 1952. They had six children: Mike, Mark, Jody, Jackie, Jerry, and Joe. They were married for 51 years until Patsy's death in 2003.

Joe Altobelli made his last public appearance in August 2019. He passed away on March 3, 2021, at the age of 88. He is remembered as a key figure in baseball, especially for his World Series win and his long connection to the Rochester Red Wings.

See also

In Spanish: Joe Altobelli para niños