Joe DeSa
From BR Bullpen
Joseph DeSa
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lb.
- High School Damien Memorial School
- Debut September 6, 1980
- Final Game October 3, 1985
- Born July 27, 1959 in Honolulu, HI
- Died December 20, 1986 in San Juan, P.R.
[edit] Biographical Information
First baseman Joe DeSa was part of Honolulu's Puerto Rican-Hawaiian baseball commmunity. He was the nephew of John Matias, who played 58 games for the 1970 Chicago White Sox.
Joey attended Damien Memorial School, from which he was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 1977 amateur draft. He had a cup of coffee in the majors with the Cards in 1980.
After the 1983 season, he was granted free agency and signed with the Chicago White Sox organization. He made the Opening Day roster for the Sox in 1985, and after a stint in the minors, returned to the club later in the season. On September 13th of that year, he hit a pinch-hit grand slam against Dave Tobik of the Seattle Mariners. He spent the entire 1986 season with the AAA Buffalo Bisons, hitting .283 with 17 homers and 83 RBIs. After that season, he was let go by the White Sox but soon signed a deal with the Kansas City Royals, with a good chance of making their big league roster in 1987. However, while playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, his life was cut tragically short when he was killed in a car accident on December 20, 1986.
