Nickname: Billy Joe
Position: 1B
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Numbers: 6
Years with the Angels: 1964-66
Angels stats: .259 53 HRs 159 RBIs
Career stats: .277 336 HRs 1,122 RBIs
How Was He Acquired: Joe Adcock was traded to the Los Angeles Angels (along with two other players) by the Cleveland Indians in 1964 for Leon Wagner.
Why You Should Know Him: Adcock, 36 at the time, was nearing the end of his playing career. He was with the Angels when they changed their name to California Angels in mid-1965 and moved to the new stadium in Anaheim in 1966.
Adcock’s best years were with the Milwaukee Braves where in 1957 they won the World Series defeating the New York Yankees. The Louisiana native broke into the major leagues with Cincinnati and later traded to the Braves.
Memorable Moments/Games: He was a prodigious home run hitter who once had four HRs in a game. The Angels released Adcock in October 1966 and he retired from playing baseball but became the manager of the Cleveland Indians for one year in 1967. The 6’ 4” 220 lb. Adcock’s best year was in 1956 when he was 2nd in the National League in HRs, 2nd in RBIs and 2nd in slugging percentage.
Anecdotes/Quotes: Another notable home run was the blast that ended the epic duel between Lew Burdette and Harvey Haddix on May 26, 1959, in which Haddix took a perfect game into the 12th inning. Adcock did not get credit for a home run, however, because Henry Aaron – who was on first base – saw Felix Mantilla, the runner ahead of him, score the winning run and thought the hit had only been a double and walked back to the dugout, causing Adcock to be called out for passing him on the base paths. (Eventually, the ruling was that instead of a 3-run home run for a 3-0 Braves victory, Adcock got a double and 1 RBI, and the Braves won 1-0.)
Joe Adcock passed away in Louisiana in 1999.
Contributed by Bruce Nye – AngelsWin.com Columnist
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