Joe Christopher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Christopher |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: December 13, 1935 Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands |
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| Died: October 3, 2023 (aged 87) Edgewood, Maryland, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 26, 1959, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 9, 1966, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .260 | ||
| Home runs | 29 | ||
| Runs batted in | 224 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Joseph O'Neal Christopher (born December 13, 1935 – died October 3, 2023) was a talented American baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Joe played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, and Boston Red Sox. His career in MLB lasted from 1959 to 1966. A big highlight was winning the 1960 World Series with the Pirates.
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Joe Christopher's Baseball Journey
Joe Christopher started his journey in the big leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959. He played with them for three years. After that, he joined the New York Mets from 1962 to 1965. His final MLB season was in 1966 with the Boston Red Sox.
Playing for the Pirates
While with the Pirates, Joe was a backup player. He could play all three outfield spots. These spots were usually covered by Bob Skinner (left field), Bill Virdon (center field), and Roberto Clemente (right field). Joe got his first chance to play when Clemente was injured.
Joe's very first game was on May 26, 1959. It was a famous game where pitcher Harvey Haddix almost threw a perfect game. In 1960, Joe was part of the 1960 World Series Champion Pirates team. He was a utility player, meaning he could fill in where needed. He was often used as a pinch-runner in three games. He even scored two runs in games 2 and 5 of the World Series.
Joining the New York Mets
The New York Mets chose Joe Christopher in the 1961 MLB expansion draft. This draft allowed new teams to pick players from other teams. Joe was the fifth player chosen by the Mets.
The year 1964 was Joe's best season. He had a batting average of .300. He hit 16 home runs and had 76 runs batted in (RBI). He also scored 78 runs and got 163 hits. He hit 26 doubles and eight triples. He played in 154 games that year, which were all career highs for him.
Memorable Moments with the Mets
On August 19, 1964, Joe had an amazing day at the plate. He hit two triples, one double, and a home run. This helped the Mets win 8–6 against his old team, the Pirates.
Another exciting moment happened on September 25. Joe broke up a no-hit game by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Jim Maloney. This happened at Shea Stadium. Joe's single in the second inning was the only hit Maloney gave up. Maloney still pitched a 3–0 shutout, but Joe made sure it wasn't a no-hitter.
Final MLB Season
After the 1965 season, the Mets traded Joe to the Boston Red Sox. He played his last MLB game on June 9, 1966. In June 1966, the Red Sox traded Joe and pitcher Earl Wilson to the Detroit Tigers. Even though he was traded, Joe never played for Detroit in the major leagues.
Playing Beyond MLB
Even after his MLB career ended, Joe kept playing baseball. He played in the minor leagues until 1968. He also played winter baseball in other countries. He played in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican Winter League
In the Puerto Rican Winter League (PRWL), Joe played for several teams. He was with the San Juan Senadores in 1954–1955. Then he played for the Mayaguez Indios from 1957 to 1963. Later, he joined the Caguas Criollos in 1967–1968.
Joe won many championships with Mayaguez and Caguas. He was also the league leader in stolen bases four times in the PRWL. In 1958–1959, something wild happened. Joe was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Ruben "El Divino Loco" Gomez Colon. This made the Mayaguez fans very angry. They even overturned Gomez's car after the game! Joe tried to calm the crowd over the stadium's sound system.
Career Statistics
In his eight seasons in MLB, Joe Christopher had a .260 batting average. He hit 29 home runs and had 173 RBI. He played in a total of 638 games. He had one game where he got five hits and eight games where he got four hits.
Joe Christopher's Life
Joe Christopher passed away at his home in Edgewood, Maryland, on October 3, 2023. He was 87 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Joe Christopher para niños
- List of players from Virgin Islands in Major League Baseball
