Joseph Anthony Pepitone was popularly known as Joe Pepitone. A professional baseball player, he was known for his time in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played as an outfielder and first baseman for teams like the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros.
Making his debut in 1962, Joe’s career lasted till 1973, the year he played for the Yakult Atoms in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). As one of the top baseball players of his time, he won three Gold Glove Awards. Besides that, he was also a three-time MLB All-Star. Sadly, Joe Pepitone’s journey ended in 2023, in his Kansas City home. Even then, people are eager to learn more about him. In this post, we have included his life and career details.
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Joe Pepitone was born on 9th October 1940, in Brooklyn, New York. However, he spent his formative years in Park Slope. Growing up, Joe became passionate about baseball. He attended Manual Training High School, where he built a reputation as a talented player.
However, his teenage years were not easy. He often got involved in fights and even survived a gunshot wound at the age of 17. Despite the hurdles, he stayed committed to baseball.
Joe Pepitone began his professional baseball journey in the minor leagues, where he worked hard to enhance his skills. In 1958, he earned the spot of an amateur free agent with the New York Yankees.
In 1962, he made his MLB debut with the Yankees. During his early years, Pepitone played as a backup to Moose Skowron. But after Skowron was traded, Joe took over as the Yankees’ starting first baseman.
Joe became a well-known name in baseball during the 1963 season. He hit 27 home runs, helping the Yankees reach the World Series. Due to his exceptional performance, he earned his first MLB All-Star selection.
Over the next few years, he won three Gold Glove Awards in 1965, 1966, and 1969. Additionally, he was named an All-Star three times in 1963, 1964, and 1965.
After leaving the Yankees in 1969, he joined the Houston Astros. However, he stayed with them only for a year, before joining Chicago Cubs. In 1973, he joined the Atlanta Braves. The same year, he also played for the Yakult Atoms.
Joe Pepitone had a complicated personal life. He married three times, but all of them ended in divorce. He was also arrested a few times because of various reasons like possession of illegal substances and misdemeanor assault.
Joe passed away in 2023, at the age of 82. The cause of his death is a suspected heart attack.
At the time of his death, Joe Pepitone’s net worth was estimated to be $2 million. During the peak of his career, he earned money through contracts with MLB teams. After retiring from baseball, he worked as a coach and also wrote a book titled Joe, You Coulda Made Us Proud. This helped him grow his wealth even further.
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