Joe Presko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joe Presko |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 7, 1928 Kansas City, Missouri |
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| Died: February 5, 2019 (aged 90) Kansas City, Missouri |
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| debut | |||
| May 3, 1951, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 7, 1958, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 25–37 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.61 | ||
| Innings pitched | 4901⁄3 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Joseph Edward Presko (born October 7, 1928 – died February 5, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher. The St. Louis Cardinals signed him in 1948. He was an amateur free agent at the time. Joe made his Major League Baseball debut on May 3, 1951.
Joe Presko's Baseball Career
Joe Presko played baseball for several years. He was mainly a starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He played with them for four seasons, from 1951 to 1954. Later, he became a reliever for the Detroit Tigers. He played with the Tigers for parts of two seasons, in 1957 and 1958.
People knew Joe by a few fun nicknames. They called him "Baby Face" Presko, "Baby Joe," or "Little Joe." He was about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 165 pounds. He retired from professional baseball after the 1959 season.
During his career, Joe played in 128 games. He had a record of 25 wins and 37 losses. He also earned 5 saves. A save happens when a pitcher finishes a close game without letting the other team score. His career earned-run average (ERA) was 4.61. The ERA shows how many earned runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings.
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing, Joe Presko became a baseball coach. He coached for American Legion Baseball. This is a program for young baseball players. One of the young players he coached was David Cone. David Cone later became a famous pitcher himself. He played for teams like the Kansas City Royals, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays.
Joe Presko is also famous for another reason. He is featured on one of the first Topps Company baseball trading cards. His card is #220 from the 1952 Major League Baseball set. Joe Presko passed away at his home on February 5, 2019.
