Joe Altobelli
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1955-1961)
Joe Altobelli was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1961 for the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins, a span of 7 seasons. In 166 career games, he hit .210 with 54 hits, 5 home runs, and 28 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 185 lb
- Died
- 3/3/2021 in Rochester, NY, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1955-04-14
- Last Game
- 1961-10-01
Full name: Joseph Salvatore Altobelli
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 166 | 257 | 27 | 54 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 3 | 23 | 42 | .210 | .277 | .323 | .600 | -732 |
Career AVG .210 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 18.6% below league average.
Career OBP .277 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 15.5% below league average.
Career SLG .323 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — 18.2% below league average.
Career OPS .600 vs. league average .723 across their career seasons — 17.0% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | CLE | AL | 42 | 75 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 14 | .200 | .258 (-23%) | .332 (-22%) | .393 (-19%) | .726 (-20%) | -249.6 |
| 1957 | CLE | AL | 83 | 87 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 14 | .207 | .257 (-20%) | .323 (-22%) | .391 (-27%) | .715 (-24%) | -367.2 |
| 1961 | MIN | AL | 41 | 95 | 10 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 14 | .221 | .258 (-14%) | .328 (-5%) | .399 (-10%) | .727 (-8%) | -115.2 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 166 | 257 | 27 | 54 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 3 | 23 | 42 | .210 | — | — | — | — | -732 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (167 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 82 | 149 | 10 | 26 | 2 | 15 | .174 |
| Away | 85 | 108 | 17 | 28 | 3 | 13 | .259 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-10-01 | MIN | DET | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1961-09-30 | MIN | DET | L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961-09-29 | MIN | DET | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961-09-28 | MIN | CLE | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1961-09-27 | MIN | CLE | W | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961-09-26 | MIN | CLE | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1961-09-24 | MIN | TEX | L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961-09-23 | MIN | TEX | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961-09-23 | MIN | TEX | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961-09-21 | MIN | TEX | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 99 |
| Left Field | 26 |
| Center Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 2 |
Joe Altobelli: the record in brief
According to the bio, Joe Altobelli debuted on April 14, 1955 and played a final game on October 1, 1961. The team column moves through the Cleveland Indians (1955 to 1957) and the Minnesota Twins (1961). Altobelli, born on May 26, 1932, in Detroit, MI, USA, is listed as a first baseman and batted and threw left-handed. Altobelli's listed size is 6 feet, 0 inches and 185 pounds. Altobelli died on March 3, 2021, in Rochester, NY, USA. Altobelli's full given name, per the bio, is Joseph Salvatore Altobelli.
In 166 games and 257 at bats, Altobelli batted .210 with 54 hits, adding 5 homers and 28 RBI. Reaching base at a .277 clip and slugging .323, Altobelli finished with a .600 OPS. Set against a .258 league average for the same years, Altobelli's .210 average sits 18.6% below it. The OPS comparison is .600 to a league .723, 17.0% below average. 1961 produced Altobelli's most hits, 21 of them for the Minnesota Twins. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .221 in 1961, did not top the league's .258.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Altobelli
- What years did Joe Altobelli play?
- Joe Altobelli played in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1961.
- Was Joe Altobelli a pitcher?
- No. Joe Altobelli was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Joe Altobelli hit?
- Joe Altobelli hit 5 career home runs with 54 hits.
- What teams did Joe Altobelli play for?
- Joe Altobelli played for 2 teams: the Cleveland Indians (1955, 1957) and the Minnesota Twins (1961).
- What were Joe Altobelli's career stats?
- In 166 games, Joe Altobelli had 54 hits, 5 home runs, 28 RBI, 27 runs, and 3 stolen bases, with a .210 batting average.
- What position did Joe Altobelli play?
- Joe Altobelli played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Joe Altobelli and how much did he weigh?
- Joe Altobelli was listed at 6 feet and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Joe Altobelli hit each season?
- Joe Altobelli's home runs by season: 2 in 1955, 0 in 1957, and 3 in 1961. His most in one season was 3, in 1961.
- What was Joe Altobelli's career batting average?
- Joe Altobelli batted .210 over his career, with 54 hits in 257 at bats.
- How many RBI did Joe Altobelli have?
- Joe Altobelli drove in 28 runs in his career.
- Is Joe Altobelli in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Joe Altobelli has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.