Joe Devine (scout)

Joseph Vincent Devine (March 3, 1892 – September 21, 1951) was a baseball scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees, credited for signing Joe DiMaggio to the Yankees.^[1][2][3]

Baseball career

Born in Oakland, California, Devine was an outfielder in the minor leagues,^[1] and was on the spring training roster of the Boston Red Sox in 1917, but never advanced to the majors.^[4] He managed a local team in Seattle during World War I,^[1] scouted with Seattle Rainiers, and managed a baseball team in Calgary before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

After the Pirates he managed the Mission Reds of San Francisco.^[1] By 1932 he was hired by Paul Krichell to be the New York Yankees chief scout in the West.^[1] He also signed Andy Carey, Jerry Coleman, Fenton Mole, Johnny Lindell, Cliff Mapes, Charlie Silvera,^[5] and Leo Righetti.^[6][7][8]

Scouting style

Devine's scouting style was similar to Krichell's; he not only looked for ability, but also checked a player's personality and character to see if they could handle the pressure of playing for the Yankees.^[5] He also looked for size, signing only two players under six feet (1.83 m) in height.^[5]

Joe Devine Airway Park

Shortly after his death in 1951, the ballpark in Boise, Idaho, was renamed Joe Devine Airway Park. The team had just become a Yankees' affiliate and Devine had played for the Boise Irrigators of the Union Association.^[9]

References