Joe Sparma
Born: 2/4/1942 in Massillon, OH, USA
Died: 5/14/1986 in Columbus, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1964-05-20 | Final Game: 1970-05-12
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Joseph Blase Sparma
Biography
Joe Sparma was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1964 to 1970. Born in 1942, Sparma made his debut during an era characterized by a transition in baseball, as the game began to evolve from the deadball era into a more offensive-minded approach. Over the course of his six-season career, he compiled a record of 52 wins and 52 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.94. Sparma was known for his competitive spirit on the mound and his ability to miss bats, evidenced by his total of 586 strikeouts.
Despite not recording any saves during his career, Sparma's contributions were significant as a reliable starter. He played for several teams, where he showcased his pitching skills and left a mark as a versatile player. His tenure in the league reflected the changing dynamics of baseball in the 1960s, a decade that saw the rise of many legendary players and the introduction of new strategies in the game. Sparma's balanced record and respectable ERA underscored his role as a consistent competitor in the major leagues during his time.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | 52 | 183 | 142 | 31 | 10 | 0 | 864.7 | 774 | 379 | 77 | 436 | 586 | 3.94 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | DET | AL | 5 | 6 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 84.0 | 62 | 28 | 45 | 71 | 3.00 | 710.8 |
| 1965 | DET | AL | 13 | 8 | 30 | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 167.0 | 142 | 59 | 75 | 127 | 3.18 | 386.1 |
| 1966 | DET | AL | 2 | 7 | 29 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 91.7 | 103 | 54 | 52 | 61 | 5.30 | -3475.6 |
| 1967 | DET | AL | 16 | 9 | 37 | 37 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 217.7 | 186 | 91 | 85 | 153 | 3.76 | -1739.9 |
| 1968 | DET | AL | 10 | 10 | 34 | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 182.3 | 169 | 75 | 77 | 110 | 3.70 | -2727.6 |
| 1969 | DET | AL | 6 | 8 | 23 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 92.7 | 78 | 49 | 77 | 41 | 4.76 | -2921.5 |
| 1970 | WSN | NL | 0 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29.3 | 34 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 7.06 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 185 | 269 | 11 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 108 | 0.119 | 0.150 | 0.145 | 0.295 | -1828.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | DET | AL | 23 | 25 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.160 | 0.0 |
| 1965 | DET | AL | 30 | 52 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0.135 | -434.6 |
| 1966 | DET | AL | 29 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.217 | 0.0 |
| 1967 | DET | AL | 37 | 74 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 0.054 | -906.7 |
| 1968 | DET | AL | 34 | 60 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 0.133 | -487.5 |
| 1969 | DET | AL | 23 | 29 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0.138 | 0.0 |
| 1970 | WSN | NL | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | WS | DET | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 54.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | WS | DET | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 54.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 183 | 142 | 57 | 98 | 15 | 7 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | DET | P | 21 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 2 |
| 1965 | DET | P | 30 | 28 | 11 | 25 | 6 | 1 |
| 1966 | DET | P | 29 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 1967 | DET | P | 37 | 37 | 16 | 20 | 2 | 1 |
| 1968 | DET | P | 34 | 31 | 9 | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| 1969 | DET | P | 23 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970 | MON | P | 9 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 183 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University | Columbus | OH | 1962, 1963 |