Joe Page

Infobox MLB retired
name=Joe Page


position=Pitcher
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date|1917|10|28
city-state|Cherry Valley|Pennsylvania
deathdate=death date and age|1980|4|21|1917|10|28
city-state|Latrobe|Pennsylvania
debutdate=April 19
debutyear=by|1944
debutteam=New York Yankees
finaldate=May 25
finalyear=by|1954
finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=57-49
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.53
stat3label=Saves
stat3value=76
teams=
* New York Yankees (by|1944-by|1950)
* Cleveland Indians (by|1954)
highlights=
* 3x All-Star selection (1944, 1947, 1948)
* 2x World Series champion (1947, 1949)
* 1949 Babe Ruth Award

Joseph Francis Page (October 28, 1917 - April 21, 1980), nicknamed "Fireman" and "The Gay Reliever"cite book |title=A Yankees Century, A Celebration of the First Hundred Years of Baseball's Greatest Team|author=Harvey Frommer|publisher=The Berkley Publishing Group|isbn=0-425-18617-2|pages=200-201] , was a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Page, who was left-handed played with the New York Yankees from by|1944 to by|1950 and with the Pittsburgh Pirates in by|1954.

Professional career

Page was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in by|1940. After spending time in the Yankees farm system, Page made his Major League Baseball debut on April 19, by|1944 where he began his career as a starter.

In his rookie season (starting 16 games, and relieving in three others), Page was voted to play in the All-Star Game and ended his season with over 100 innings pitched and a humble 4.56 ERA. The next season, Page suffered a shoulder injury, which led him to start only nine of the twenty games he pitched. That season, Page greatly improved his ERA to 2.82, along with a 6-3 record.

In by|1946, Page split his time between closing and starting games, and he picked up three saves while posting a 3.57 ERA and a 9-8 record. In by|1947, Page spent practically the whole season in the bullpen and only started twice. He was voted to play in the All-Star Game once again as he played very well, leading the American League with 17 saves and posting a 2.48 ERA and a 14-8 record. His fourteen relief wins was an American League record until Luis Arroyo broke it in by|1961. He was fourth in the league in American League MVP voting.

In by|1948, Page again posted decent stats, finishing second in the American League in saves and striking out 77 in 107.7 innings. He also pitched in the All-Star game for the third time, and lead the league with 55 appearances.

The following season is perhaps the best professional season of Joe Page's career, in which he had a 13-8 record and a 2.59 ERA, and finished first in the American League in saves with 27. He gave up only 103 hits in 135.3 innings and struck out 99 batters. He was named to play at the All-Star Game, and finished first in the league in three categories: games finished, games pitched, and saves. Page won the inaugural Babe Ruth Award for his stellar pitching in the 1949 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, winning game three of the Series. He also finished 3rd in the American League MVP voting.

by|1950 was not particularly a good season for Page, and as a result he was sent back to the minors. On May 16, by|1951, the New York Yankees released Page. Almost 3 years later, on April 12, by|1954, Page was signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Page played just 7 games, posting a disastrous 11.17 ERA. A few days after his last major league game (May 25, by|1954), Page was released by the Pirates on June 1, by|1954.

Page finished his eight year career in the majors with a career record of 57-49, a 3.53 ERA, 76 saves, and 519 strikeouts in 790.0 innings of work.

Footnotes and References

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball saves champions

External links

*baseball-reference|id=p/pagejo01
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/P/Page_Joe.stm BaseballLibrary - Joe Page]