Joe Hoerner

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Joe Hoerner
Pitcher
Born: (1936-11-12)November 12, 1936
Dubuque, Iowa, U.S.
Died: October 4, 1996(1996-10-04) (aged 59)
Hermann, Missouri, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Left
MLB debut
September 27, 1963, for the Houston Colt .45s
Last MLB appearance
August 5, 1977, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Win–loss record39–34
Earned run average2.99
Strikeouts412
Saves99
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Joseph Walter Hoerner (November 12, 1936 – October 4, 1996) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher, who played 14 years in Major League Baseball (MLB), for seven different teams.

A native of

Dubuque High School
.

The left-handed hurler was signed by the

Houston Colt .45s (1963–1964), St. Louis Cardinals (1966–1969), Philadelphia Phillies (1970–72, 1975), Atlanta Braves (1972–1973), Kansas City Royals (1973–1974), Texas Rangers (1976), and Cincinnati Reds
(1977).

Hoerner was used exclusively in relief during his 14-year big league career. He appeared in 493 games, and during his first six full seasons (1966–1971) had one of the lowest combined ERAs among all major league relief pitchers (2.16).

Hoerner was drafted by the Colt .45's from the White Sox in the 1961 minor league draft. He made his

major league debut on September 27, 1963, against the New York Mets at Colt Stadium. In this particular game, Houston manager Harry Craft used a starting lineup of nine rookies, including Jerry Grote (20), Joe Morgan (20), Rusty Staub (19), and Jimmy Wynn (21). Hoerner pitched three scoreless innings as the Mets won, 10–3.[2]

Hoerner was drafted by the Cardinals from the

Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins. During this time, he also tied a National League record for relievers with six consecutive strikeouts vs. the Mets on June 1, 1968.[3] He also appeared in five World Series
games for the Cards, with a 0–1 record and one save.

Hoerner was traded to Philadelphia as part of the Curt Flood deal[4] on October 7, 1969. He made the National League All-Star team in 1970, and his .643 winning percentage ranked sixth in the league. During 1971 that year he gave up Willie Mays' major league-leading 22nd and last career extra-inning home run at Candlestick Park. In 1971, at age 34, he finished the year with a 1.97 ERA, and his effectiveness declined after that season. However, he later gave up Willie McCovey's N.L. record-breaking 17th grand slam in 1977 at Riverfront Stadium. His final major league appearance was on August 5, 1977. At the age of 40, he was the second-oldest player to appear in a National League game that season.

For his career he finished with a lifetime record of 39–34, 98

Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Reggie Jackson, Willie Mays, Bill Mazeroski, Tony Pérez, Willie Stargell, and Carl Yastrzemski
to a .101 collective batting average (9-for-89).

In 1985, Hoerner was acquitted of reckless and negligent operation of a motorboat, charges stemming from a collision on the Lake of the Ozarks that killed two 25-year-old boaters.[5]

Hoerner died in a farming accident at the age of 59 in Hermann, Missouri.[6]

References

  1. ^ Joe Hoerner | Society for American Baseball Research retrieved 2017-07-06.
  2. ^ "New York Mets 10, Houston Colt .45s 3". retrosheet.org. September 27, 1963. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  3. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals 6, New York Mets 5". retrosheet.org. June 1, 1968. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  4. ^ Wyatt, Daniel. "The Unappreciated Curt Flood". thenationalpastimemuseum.org. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  5. UPI
    . 31 January 1985. p. 7. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Joe Hoerner, Baseball Pitcher, 60". The New York Times. Associated Press. October 7, 1996. Retrieved June 2, 2020.

External links

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