Joe Page
Born: 10/28/1917 in Cherry Valley, PA, USA
Died: 4/21/1980 in Latrobe, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1944-04-19 | Final Game: 1954-05-25
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Joseph Francis Page
Biography
Joe Page, born in 1917, was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1944 until his retirement in 1954. Known for his powerful arm and competitive spirit, Page finished his career with a record of 57-49 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.53. Over the course of his career, he recorded 519 strikeouts and achieved a remarkable 76 saves, showcasing his ability to both start and close games effectively. Page's tenure in the league included three selections to the All-Star Game, highlighting his status as one of the top pitchers of his era.
Competing during a time when baseball was evolving, Page's contributions were particularly valuable in an era marked by the transition from the deadball period to a more offensive-oriented game. His ability to strike out batters and secure saves placed him among the elite pitchers of his time. Page's legacy in baseball remains significant, as he paved the way for future generations of pitchers who would follow in his footsteps, demonstrating the importance of versatility on the mound.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 49 | 285 | 45 | 14 | 1 | 76 | 790.0 | 727 | 310 | 42 | 421 | 519 | 3.53 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 5 | 7 | 19 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 102.7 | 100 | 52 | 52 | 63 | 4.56 | - |
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 6 | 3 | 20 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 102.0 | 95 | 32 | 46 | 50 | 2.82 | - |
| 1946 | NYY | AL | 9 | 8 | 31 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 136.0 | 126 | 54 | 72 | 77 | 3.57 | - |
| 1947 | NYY | AL | 14 | 8 | 56 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 141.3 | 105 | 39 | 72 | 116 | 2.48 | - |
| 1948 | NYY | AL | 7 | 8 | 55 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 107.7 | 116 | 51 | 66 | 77 | 4.26 | - |
| 1949 | NYY | AL | 13 | 8 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 135.3 | 103 | 39 | 75 | 99 | 2.59 | - |
| 1950 | NYY | AL | 3 | 7 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 55.3 | 66 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 5.04 | - |
| 1954 | PIT | NL | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.7 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 11.17 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 286 | 229 | 20 | 47 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 0 | 11 | 67 | 0.205 | 0.242 | 0.279 | 0.521 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 19 | 32 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.156 | 0.0 |
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 20 | 36 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1946 | NYY | AL | 32 | 43 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.163 | 0.0 |
| 1947 | NYY | AL | 56 | 46 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0.217 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | NYY | AL | 55 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.292 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | NYY | AL | 60 | 40 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0.175 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | NYY | AL | 37 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | PIT | NL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | WS | NYA | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
| 1947 | WS | NYA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 22.0 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 3.27 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | WS | NYA | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9.0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2.00 |
| 1947 | WS | NYA | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13.0 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 4.15 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 285 | 0 | 17 | 104 | 8 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | NYA | P | 19 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 1945 | NYA | P | 20 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 1946 | NYA | P | 31 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 5 | 1 |
| 1947 | NYA | P | 56 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948 | NYA | P | 55 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949 | NYA | P | 60 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| 1950 | NYA | P | 37 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | PIT | P | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 285 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Babe Ruth Award | P |
| 1949 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P2 |
| 1949 | TSN All-Star | P |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 166.0 | 336 | 3 |
| 1947 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 167.0 | 336 | 7 |