The period between the 1964 World Series loss and the return to the Fall Classic in 1976 is a bit of a wasteland in Yankees’ history. Thanks in large part to the disaster that was CBS ownership, the Yankees had some of their worst years during that time. Things started to turn around by the start of the 1970s, as young players like Thurman Munson began to develop.
However, it’s not as if the Yankees had no good players in that down era. It’s not as if the children following the team didn’t have their
idols. One of them is Joe Pepitone, whose birthday we celebrate today.
Joseph Anthony “Joe” Pepitone
Born: October 9, 1940 (Brooklyn, NY)
Died: March 13, 2023 (Kansas City, MO)
Yankees Tenure: 1962-69
Joe Pepitone was born on October 9, 1940, in the very city he would go on play in professionally. The oldest of three boys, he grew up in Brooklyn with his parents Willie and Angelina. Although Joe said he loved and admired his father, the elder Pepitone could be abusive, both physically and emotionally. In one particular incident, Joe telling his father “I hate you!” caused Willie to hurl an ash tray in the direction of his son. It didn’t hit Joe, but it smashed against the wall, causing shards to fly in his eyes. There was no permanent damage, but the physical abuse did end after that harrowing incident. His father passed away in 1958, just a day after Joe had told his mom that “I wish he’d die” after another blowup between the two of them.
Pepitone was introduced to baseball by an uncle, and honed his game playing in the sandlots of New York City. A star in high school at Manual Training High School (now John Jay High School), Pepitone also played for Nathan’s Hot Dog semipro team when he began to catch the eyes of scouts. However, he had another nearly life-altering incident before he began his professional career.
In March 1958, just weeks before Pepitone would begin in minor league career, he was shot in an incident at his high school. A classmate had found a gun on the docks, and had pointed it — possibly, hopefully jokingly — at Pepitone, who didn’t know what was happening, tried backing away. The gun accidentally went off, and Pepitone had been shot straight through the stomach. Thankfully, Pepitone somehow escaped mostly uninjured, and signed for the Yankees shortly after that.
After signing with the Yankees, Pepitone rocketed through the minor leauges, and made the majors after impressing following a spring training with the big league team in 1962. Early on, Pepitone’s playing time was sparse with Bill “Moose” Skowron entrenched as the Yankees’ first baseman. As the calendar turned to May, manager Ralph Houk began to use him more, often deploying him in the outfield. However, after struggles and a disciplinary incident, the Yankees sent the youngster back down to the minors. He put up big numbers there and got called back up, although he wouldn’t appear in the 1962 World Series, which would be the Yankees’ last Fall Classic victory until 1977.
The 1963 season would go on to be a breakthrough one for Pepitone. He slugged 27 home runs and was named an All-Star, starting the game at first base. Pepitone would end up making the All-Star team in 1964 and ‘65 as well, along with helping the Yankees to the 1963 and ‘64 AL pennants. They lost both those series, though and Pepitone would never appear in the postseason again.
Over the next couple years, Pepitone became a star for the Yankees. However, with the stars of the 1950s and early 60s dynasty aging out, the team began to go the wrong way in the standings. With a career 105 OPS+ while on the Yankees, Pepitone was hardly ever the problem on the field. However, he could often be a bit of one off it. He gained the reputation as a bit of a party boy and had a habit of showing up late and having disagreements with managers. Between that and the fact that he was one of the higher earners on a bad Yankees’ team, the decision was eventually made to trade him. In December 1969, he was sent to the Astros for Curt Blefary.
Pepitone had a couple stops after his Yankee career, most notably with the Cubs from 1970-73. After his MLB career ended, he had a brief stint with the Yakult Atoms in Japan. He eventually returned to the Bronx as a coach, and was credited with helping Don Mattingly master first base defensively. However, his off-field issues remained, and he even did prison time after a 1988 drug conviction. He later released a fairly candid autobiography, where he spoke at length about his issues, and how they led to the end of three marriages and kept him from being an even better player.
In later years, Pepitone became something of a pop culture reference point. He was mentioned on occasions on “Seinfield” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” with noted Yankee fan Larry David right in the age range to remember Pepitone’s peak.
He was also the subject of a mention in a flashback scene in “The Sopranos.”
Tree RBI.
In his later years, Pepitone settled in Kansas City, where he was living with one of his children. He often made time to return to Yankees alumni events though, including Old-Timers’ Day in the Bronx. Pepitone passed away in KC at the age of 82 in 2023.
Nobody will mistake Joe Pepitone for a Baseball Hall of Famer, his stats weren’t remotely there. However, for Yankees’ fans of the time, watching a local kid make good, you couldn’t have told them otherwise.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
