On Monday, March 13, 2023 the former player Joe Pepitone, whose eccentric personality was as well-known as his baseball career passed away at the age of 82.
The team said in a statement: “The Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of former Yankee Joe Pepitone”.
Statement from The New York Yankees on the passing of Joe Pepitone: pic.twitter.com/XckqVACsfa
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 13, 2023
The Brooklyn-born Pepitone was shot by a classmate in 1957 and signed with the Yankees the following year, making his MLB debut in 1962. After spending his rookie year as Moose Skowron’s backup at first base, he took over for him the next year and blasted 27 home runs.
The left-handed batter played in every game of the Yankees’ seven-game World Series loss to the Cardinals in 1964, when he blasted 28 home runs. This was the last time the Yankees would play in the World Series until 1976.
Still, he hit 219 home runs over the course of his career was named to three All-Star teams and earned three Gold Gloves while playing with the Yankees before being transferred to Houston after the 1969 season. He even made a few appearances in Japan.
Nonetheless, before he was sent away from the Yankees, Pepitone was well-liked in New York for his eccentric character. He was the first player in the clubhouse to bring a hair dryer and he didn’t hide the fact that he wore a hairpiece.
This section is dedicated to remembering the [celebrities] we’ve profiled:
- Julia Reichert Obituary: A Glimpse at the Documentary Filmmaker’s Journey
- Erin Maroney Fraser Obituary: What was the Cause of SNL Writer Death?
- Alex Canchari Obituary: How Did the Jockey Die?
What did Joe Pepitone Always Wear on his Sleeve?
Pepitone’s career was cut short in part because of his reputation for hard partying away from the field, as detailed in Jim Bouton’s divisive book “Ball Four.” After leaving the Yankees in 1978, he came back in 1980 as a minor-level hitting coach and spent a brief time in 1982 with the major league club.
He always wore his Yankees pride on his sleeve and it was obvious how much it meant to him. While Pepitone had some run-ins with the law, including misdemeanor drug charges from an event in 1985, he was still well-liked by Yankees fans and a regular at Old-Timers’ Day.
In “Seinfeld” Pepitone was mentioned multiple times including when Kramer said he drilled him during a fantasy camp game because he crowded the plate and when George, who worked for the Yankees, suggested holding a Joe Pepitone Day in The Bronx.
We have that much information related to Joe Pepitone’s Obituary. If we get more updates we will update you. In our posts, we regularly reported on breaking news events like fatalities and accidents. Read all of our most recent posts by staying up-to-date with our Twitter feed.