Joe Gordon
Joseph Lowell Gordon
(Flash)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.
- School University of Oregon
- High School Jefferson High School (Portland)
- Debut April 18, 1938
- Final Game September 30, 1950
- Born February 18, 1915 in Los Angeles, CA USA
- Died April 14, 1978 in Sacramento, CA USA
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2009
Biographical Information[edit]
Joe Gordon was a star athlete at the University of Oregon, competing in baseball, football, track, and gymnastics. He began his pro baseball career in 1936 with the Oakland Oaks, hitting .300. The next year, with the Newark Bears, he hit .280 with 26 homers and 89 RBIs.
Gordon reached the majors with the New York Yankees in 1938 and went on to win the 1942 American League Most Valuable Player Award. He missed a couple of seasons due to World War II, entering the Army in March 1944 and being discharged in November 1945. After one year back with the Yankees, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1947, where he spent his final four big league seasons.
A nine-time All-Star, Gordon is considered one of the best home run hitters among second basemen in the history of the game. He played on six World Series teams during his career.
After his playing days ended, Gordon managed the Sacramento Solons in 1951 and 1952. He was a Detroit Tigers scout from 1953 to 1956 and a Tiger coach in 1956. Gordon replaced Eddie Joost as manager of the San Francisco Seals in mid-1956 and stayed through 1957.
He became manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1958 and was part of one of the most unusual trades in baseball history in 1960. While managing the Indians, he was sent to the Detroit Tigers for fellow skipper Jimmie Dykes. Gordon managed the Kansas City Athletics in 1961 and was a scout and minor league batting instructor for the California Angels from 1962 to 1968.
He managed the Idaho Falls Angels for a brief interim in 1966. He then managed the Kansas City Royals in their inaugural season in 1969 as well.
In 2007 voting by the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee, Gordon received 12% of the vote. In 2008, he was the only player elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee, which had been restructured between 2007 and 2008. His induction took place in 2009.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- 9-time AL All-Star (1939-1943 & 1946-1949)
- AL MVP (1942)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 7 (1938-1941 & 1997-1949)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1940 & 1948)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 4 (1939, 1940, 1942 & 1948)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1940 & 1941)
- Won five World Series with the New York Yankees (1938, 1939, 1941 & 1943) and the Cleveland Indians (1948)
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 2009
| Managerial positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bobby Bragan |
Cleveland Indians Manager 1958-1960 |
Succeeded by Jimmy Dykes |
| Preceded by Jimmy Dykes |
Detroit Tigers Manager 1960 |
Succeeded by Bob Scheffing |
| Preceded by Bob Elliott |
Kansas City Athletics Manager 1961 |
Succeeded by Hank Bauer |
| New position | Kansas City Royals Manager 1969 |
Succeeded by Charlie Metro |
| Awards and honours | ||
| Preceded by Joe DiMaggio |
American League Most Valuable Player 1942 |
Succeeded by Spud Chandler |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
Further Reading[edit]
- Sol Gittleman: "One Trade, Three Teams, and Reversal of Fortune", The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 41, Number 1 (Spring 2012), pp. 86-89.
We're Social...for Statheads
Every Sports Reference Social Media Account
Site Last Updated:
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?
Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter
Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREE
Your All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database
Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.