Joe Tipton

From BR Bullpen

Joe Hicks Tipton

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 5' 11", Weight 185 lb.

Debut May 2, 1948
Final Game September 26, 1954
Born February 18, 1922 in McCaysville, GA USA
Died March 1, 1994 in Birmingham, AL USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Joe Tipton was a nineteen year old catcher who was signed as an amateur free agent by the Cleveland Indians before the 1941 season. He would spend his first season in professional baseball with both the Appleton Papermakers of the class D Wisconsin State League and the Flint Arrows of the class C Michigan State League. The young catcher-outfielder would appear in 69 games for both clubs and hit 13 homers with a .306 batting average. 1942 would see Joe with the Charleston Senators of the class C Middle Atlantic League where he appeared in 81 games in the outfield and hit for a .313 average.

Tipton would be called for Military duty during the next three years (1943-45) serving with the United States Navy during World War II. Joe was back in 1946 with the Harrisburg Senators of the class B Interstate League, again playing both the outfield and catchers positions for 104 games and hitting for a .327 average. Tipton would be with the class A Wilkes-Barre Barons and win the Eastern League batting title in 1947 with a .375 average. This would be his ticket to Municipal Stadium and the Cleveland Indians in 1948 where Joe would catch in 47 games and hit .289 to help his team win the American League pennant. Joe didn't play much in the ensuing World Series, appearing in only one game as a pinch-hitter and striking out.

The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of 1914. The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox. Though superstar pitcher Bob Feller failed to win either of his two starts, the Indians won the Series in six games to capture their second championship and their first since 1920.

Joe was traded to the Chicago White Sox prior to 1949 and hit only .204 in 67 games and was then with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1950 until returning to the Indians in June of 1952 to back Jim Hegan up behind the plate. Tipton would be with Cleveland in 1953 also and close out his major league years with the Washington Senators the following year (1954), with a seven year career batting average of .236 with 29 homers, while catching in 417 games. Joe's minor league stats covered five seasons, including a last try in 1955 with the Memphis Chicks of the AA Southern Association where he hit .277 in 60 games at age 33 and was chosen for the All-Star team.

Tipton popped up one more time in pro baseball in 1958, as the third manager in a string of four, with the Panama City Fliers of the class D Alabama-Florida League. The team finished last in the eight team circuit with a 39-84 record, 33.5 games back.

Tipton's older brother, Earl Tipton, was in the Philadelphia Athletics chain, but broke two vertebrae in his neck sliding into second base, ending his career. Joe died March 1, 1994, at age 72 in Birmingham, AL, where he owned an automobile dealership.