Joe Gates

Joseph Daniel Gates

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 175 lb.
• High School Theodore Roosevelt High School (Gary)
• Debut September 12, 1978
• Final Game June 24, 1979
• Born October 3, 1954 in Gary, IN USA
• Died March 28, 2010 in Gary, IN USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Infielder Joe Gates played briefly with the Chicago White Sox in 1978 and 1979. He later was a coach with the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the Northern League.

From 1974 to 1977, Gates played in the Kansas City Royals minor league system. He was traded to the Sox for Mike Ondina prior to the 1978 season. That year, he hit .332 for the Knoxville Sox to win the Southern League batting title and earned a September call-up. He had another cup of coffee the following year and got his only extra base hit in the majors on May 13th against the Royals. He came on as a pinch hitter for Don Kessinger in the seventh inning and stayed in the game playing second base. In the bottom of the ninth, he hit a triple off Eduardo Rodriguez, driving in Greg Pryor, but the Sox lost to the Royals 14 to 5.

Gates was a member of the Gary SouthShore staff from 2002 until his death in 2010 at age 55.

Related Sites

• Joe Gates on the Gary RailCats website