Joe Frazier (baseball)

Joseph Filmore Frazier (October 6, 1922 – February 15, 2011) was an American outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball.

He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1941, but did not play in the major leagues until 1947. After 1947, he was traded on November 20, 1947 with $25,000, Dick Kokos, and Bryan Stephens for Walt Judnich and Bob Muncrief.^[1] He spent parts of three seasons in the majors in the 1950s, primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1956, at the age of 33, he finished his playing career after having played in 217 games.

He then had a successful career as a minor league manager, first in the Houston Astros organization, and then, beginning in 1968, in the New York Mets farm system. He managed in Mankato of the Northern League, then Pompano Beach in the Florida State League. He would win the pennant in 1971 with Visalia of the California League. He then went on to win league championships with Memphis and Victoria in the Texas League.

Frazier, managing the

Following that successful 1975 season, Frazier was promoted to manager of the parent Mets on October 3, replacing interim manager Roy McMillan. At his introductory press conference, Mets General Manager Joe McDonald said, "Joe Frazier has consistently proved to us his ability to handle players. Winning is what it's all about, and Joe Frazier is a winner." Frazier himself added, "I'm the type of manager who stresses fundamentals. I think a man should go from first to third on a hit and second to home. I demand hustle. If I have my way, you're going to see a Mets' club next year that will hustle."^[3]

Frazier managed the Mets to an 86–76 record in 1976, good for a third-place finish and an improvement over their 82–80 record from the previous season. But Frazier's Mets got off to a poor start in 1977, and following a 15–30 record, Frazier was replaced as Mets manager by Joe Torre, who was an active player on the Mets roster at the time.

In 1982 he was the manager of the