Joe Gaines facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Gaines |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 22, 1936 Bryan, Texas, U.S. |
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| Died: May 30, 2023 (aged 86) Oakland, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 29, 1960, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1966, for the Houston Astros | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .241 | ||
| Home runs | 21 | ||
| Runs batted in | 95 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Arnesta Joe Gaines (born November 22, 1936 – died May 30, 2023) was an American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB). Joe played for seven seasons, from 1960 to 1966. He was a member of the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, and Houston Colt .45s/Astros. Joe Gaines threw and batted with his right hand. He was about 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighed around 190 pounds.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Joe Gaines grew up in Oakland, California. He went to Oakland Technical High School there. After high school, the Cincinnati Reds baseball team signed him in 1956. This was the start of his professional baseball journey.
Amazing Minor League Season
Joe played in the minor league baseball system before reaching the MLB. His best year in the minor leagues was 1957. He played for the Visalia Redlegs team. That year, he had a great batting average of .359. He also hit 14 home runs and brought in 119 runs batted in (RBI). These numbers showed he was a very talented player.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Joe Gaines got his first chances to play in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds. He had short tryouts with the team in 1960 and 1961.
Becoming a Cincinnati Red
In 1962, Joe officially made the Reds' main team. He played in 60 games that season. He was a reserve outfielder, meaning he filled in when needed. His batting average for the year was .231. After the 1962 season, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
Time with the Baltimore Orioles
In 1963, Joe Gaines played for the Baltimore Orioles. He sometimes played left fielder, taking the place of Boog Powell. Joe had his best batting average in MLB that year, hitting .286. However, his performance wasn't as strong in 1964. The Orioles traded him to the Houston Colt .45s in June of that year.
Years with the Houston Astros
When Joe joined the Houston Colt .45s (who later became the Houston Astros), he became their regular right fielder. He played in 89 games for them in 1964. His batting average was .254.
In 1965, Joe Gaines lost his regular starting job to another player, Rusty Staub. Joe went back to being a backup player. He still played in 100 games that season. However, his batting average dropped to .227.
Joe had a very short time with the Astros in 1966. He only got one hit in 13 chances to bat. After this, he spent the rest of his playing career in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He stopped playing baseball after the 1968 season.
Career Highlights
Throughout his Major League Baseball career, Joe Gaines played in 362 games. He had a batting average of .241. He hit 21 home runs and had 95 RBI. In the minor leagues, he played in 949 games. There, he had a batting average of .298 and hit 76 home runs.
Later Life
Joe Gaines passed away in Oakland, California, on May 30, 2023. He was 86 years old.
