Joe Pepitone, a three-time All-Star who was a staple of the 1960s New York Yankees, has died at 82.
The Yankees announced Pepitone’s passing in an official statement.
«The Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of former Yankee Joe Pepitone, whose playful, charismatic personality and contributions on the field made him a favorite of generations of Yankees fans even beyond his years with the team in the 1980s. 1960s. As a New York native, he embraced everything about being a Yankee during his playing career, which included three All-Star Game appearances and three Gold Gloves, and in the decades since,» the statement read. .
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Joe Pepitone of the New York Yankees poses for this portrait before a Major League Baseball game circa 1963. Pepitone played for the Yankees from 1962-1969. (Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
«You always knew when Joe walked into a room: his immense pride in being a Yankee was always on display. He will be missed by our entire organization and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and everyone who knew him.»
As the Yankees mentioned, Pepitone was a product of the Big Apple, having been born in Brooklyn. He debuted with the team at age 21 in 1962, hitting .239 in 63 games in pinstripes.
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Over the next three seasons after that, Pepitone became a household name to Yankees fans, as he racked up three straight All-Star Game appearances. He also won back-to-back Gold Gloves at first base in 1965 and 1966.
New York Yankees great Joe Pepitone acknowledges the crowd during the game on the annual Veterans Day at Yankee Stadium on July 11, 1992 in New York, USA. (Steve Crandall/Getty Images)
The Yankees reached the World Series in 1963 and 1964 with Pepitone playing a major role in the Bombers’ arrival. However, they would lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals in those series, respectively.
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Pepitone would play eight seasons in New York, slashing .252/.294/.423 with 166 home runs and 541 RBIs in 1,051 games before moving on to the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Braves before resigning in 1973. .
Former New York Yankee Joe Pepitone attends press conference announcing auction of Mickey Mantle’s signed contract to help Hurricane Sandy New Jersey relief fund at Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center on April 29, 2013 in Montclair, New Jersey. (Dave Kotinski/Getty Images)
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But Pepitone’s days in baseball were not over. He was a mainstay with the Yankees once he hung up his shoes, consistently providing a charismatic presence at Yankee Stadium during Veteran’s Day and other events.