Joe Caffie
From BR Bullpen
Joseph Clifford Caffie (Rabbit)
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10½", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut September 13, 1956
- Final Game September 28, 1957
- Born February 14, 1931 in Ramer, AL USA
- Died August 1, 2011 in Warren, OH USA
[edit] Biographical Information
"I have seen a lot of fast ones, but Caffie is the fastest, and that includes guys like Sam Jethroe." - Luke Easter, quoted in Crossing the Line: Black Major Leaguers 1947-59
"What does a fellow have to do to make it up here?" - Joe Caffie in spring 1957, after having hit .342 at the major league level in 1956 and having had a good spring in 1957 but still getting sent down to the minors
Outfielder Joe Caffie has a lifetime major league batting average of .291. He broke in with the Cleveland Indians in 1956 and hit .342 in 38 at-bats (with a .432 on-base percentage). The next year he dropped to a still-decent .270 batting average in 89 at-bats.
Joe was born in Ramer, AL, also the birthplace of Oscar Gamble. Caffie was a four-sport star in high school, playing football, baseball, track and boxing.
In 1950 he played for the Cleveland Buckeyes in the Negro League and was then signed by the Cleveland Indians before the 1951 season. He won two minor-league batting titles. In 1952, he hit .342 to lead the Northern League, edging out Hank Aaron by points. Caffie also led the loop with 18 triples, 171 hits, 271 total bases, 34 doubles and 105 runs. Caffie outslugged Aaron .542 to .493. In 1955 he led the International League in steals, and in the winter in the Venezuelan League he hit .360. He hit .311 with Buffalo in 1956 and .331 in 1957, the latter a league-leading figure. He then led the same league in doubles in 1958. During the winter of 1957-58, he played in Cuba. His career ended with Montreal in 1960 and Charlotte in 1961.
Main source: Crossing the Line: Black Major Leaguers 1947-59.
[edit] Career Analysis
Was Caffie a victim of racism?
Possibly, since his credentials in the minors certainly seemed to justify a spot in the majors. However, the 1957 Indians had an usually good outfield, with the veteran Gene Woodling hitting .321 and slugging .521 and with youngsters Roger Maris and Rocky Colavito, both of whom went on to tremendous careers. Back-up outfielders on the team included Dick Williams, who went on to become a Hall of Fame manager.
Caffie's range and fielding percentage in the outfield were certainly decent, and with his hitting one would have thought that another team would have wanted to pick him up. However, it didn't happen, and so he spent most of the time from 1951-61 as a minor league star.
