Joe Bauman
Encyclopedia
Joe Willis Bauman was an American
first baseman
in professional baseball
who played primarily in the low minor leagues
, including the American Association
, the Eastern League
, and the Southwestern League
. He is best remembered for his time with the Roswell
Rockets, for whom in 138 games in , he hit 72 home run
s, a record that stood throughout pro ball
until it was topped in .
in the Northeast Arkansas League
. Hitting only three home runs in 59 games, he also went 0-10 as a pitcher when he was called up to Little Rock
in the Southern Association
. During the winter, when World War II
began, Bauman played semi-pro
ball in , and was in the service
from 1943 to 1945.
in the West Texas-New Mexico League
. He led the circuit with 48 home runs, 159 run batted in
, and a .301 batting average
. The following season, his home run totals went down, but his production went up. He hit just 38 homers, but he hit .350 and drew 151 walks
, and was signed by the Boston Braves
.
In , Bauman played in the Braves organization, going 0 for 1 in Class AAA, and posting fair stats in Class AA (.275, 55 BB, 10 HR in 276 AB), while splitting time with Ray Sanders
. It was Bauman's only time outside of the low minors, and left it inconclusive as to whether he could play in the majors or not.
Bauman returned to Oklahoma in 1949, signing on for three seasons with the semi-pro Elk City
Elks. He also opened a service station
on busy U.S. Highway 66 with a business partner Jack Riley.
The Elks did well, especially in 1949 and 1950, and Bauman was a crowd favorite, known simply as "Joe." Fans from western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle
flocked to watch him knock home runs over the unique red rock wall of Ackley Park. By 1951, the oil-boom economy and the team had begun to lag, though, and Bauman decided to move on.
At 30, Bauman joined up with the Class C Longhorn League
for , signing with Artesia. In that year, his triple crown
stats were .375-50-157, good enough to lead the league in homers, RBI, and walks (148). The next year, he led the league in walks (130), runs scored
(135), and home runs (53), while maintaining a high average. After the season, he moved to Roswell.
In , Bauman broke out (if one can "break out" from a 53-home run season), winning the triple crown and also leading the league in runs and walks for Roswell. His totals were eye-popping. In 138 games, he had 199 hits
in 498 at bats for a .400 average. He hit 35 doubles, 3 triples, and 72 home runs - the latter, a professional baseball record that stood for years until Barry Bonds
topped it in 2001. He also drove in 228 runs, and walked 150 times.
Roswell was a small town, and Bauman was the biggest local attraction since the 1947 crash and suspected alien landing. After each home run, fans would push dollar bills through the fence, and the game would have to be stopped for a few minutes to collect all the money.
Bauman could not duplicate his 1954 season in , hitting only 46 home runs with a batting average
of .336. The following season, he played just 52 games and hit 17 homers. He retired in at age 34. The career ledger for Joe Bauman reads: 1,019 games, 982 runs scored, 1,166 hits, 337 home runs, 1,057 runs batted in, 974 walks, and a .337 batting average. He was a true legend on a small stage.
.
After his baseball career, Bauman continued to run the service station which he had started operating during the last years of his playing career.
Bauman died on September 20, 2005.
is given out annually since 2002 to the minor league baseball player with the most home runs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
in professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
who played primarily in the low minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, including the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
, and the Southwestern League
Southwestern League
The Southwestern League was the name of three former minor league baseball leagues that operated in the Southwestern United States. The first league, also known as the Oklahoma State League, was in operation for the 1904 season. The second league operated from 1921 to 1926...
. He is best remembered for his time with the Roswell
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
Rockets, for whom in 138 games in , he hit 72 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, a record that stood throughout pro ball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
until it was topped in .
Pre-war
Bauman debuted in pro ball with NewportNewport, Arkansas
Newport is a city in Jackson County, Arkansas, northeast of Little Rock, on the White River. In 1900, 2,866 people lived in Newport, Arkansas; in 1910, 3,557. The population was 7,811 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jackson County....
in the Northeast Arkansas League
Northeast Arkansas League
The Northeast Arkansas League was the name used by a pair of American minor league baseball leagues. The first of these started operations in 1909 and continued through 1911. The second version began operations for the 1936 season. It continued through the 1941 season.-1909:The teams from...
. Hitting only three home runs in 59 games, he also went 0-10 as a pitcher when he was called up to Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
in the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. During the winter, when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
began, Bauman played semi-pro
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
ball in , and was in the service
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
from 1943 to 1945.
Post-war
Upon his return, Bauman settled in with AmarilloAmarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
in the West Texas-New Mexico League
West Texas-New Mexico League
The West Texas-New Mexico League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1937 through 1955. The league was not active in 1943-1945 because of World War II...
. He led the circuit with 48 home runs, 159 run batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, and a .301 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. The following season, his home run totals went down, but his production went up. He hit just 38 homers, but he hit .350 and drew 151 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and was signed by the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
.
In , Bauman played in the Braves organization, going 0 for 1 in Class AAA, and posting fair stats in Class AA (.275, 55 BB, 10 HR in 276 AB), while splitting time with Ray Sanders
Ray Sanders
Raymond Floyd Sanders was a professional baseball player. Primarily a first baseman, he played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball between 1942 and 1949.- Cardinals :...
. It was Bauman's only time outside of the low minors, and left it inconclusive as to whether he could play in the majors or not.
Bauman returned to Oklahoma in 1949, signing on for three seasons with the semi-pro Elk City
Elk City, Oklahoma
Elk City is a city in Beckham County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 11,693 at the 2010 census. Elk City is located on Interstate 40 and Historic U.S. Route 66 in Western Oklahoma, approximately west of Oklahoma City and east of Amarillo....
Elks. He also opened a service station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
on busy U.S. Highway 66 with a business partner Jack Riley.
The Elks did well, especially in 1949 and 1950, and Bauman was a crowd favorite, known simply as "Joe." Fans from western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a rectangular area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east...
flocked to watch him knock home runs over the unique red rock wall of Ackley Park. By 1951, the oil-boom economy and the team had begun to lag, though, and Bauman decided to move on.
At 30, Bauman joined up with the Class C Longhorn League
Longhorn League
The Longhorn League was the name of a Minor league baseball circuit that operated from through in the Southwestern United States. In , it was renamed the Southwestern League and operated through before changing its name to the Sophomore League....
for , signing with Artesia. In that year, his triple crown
Triple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
stats were .375-50-157, good enough to lead the league in homers, RBI, and walks (148). The next year, he led the league in walks (130), runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(135), and home runs (53), while maintaining a high average. After the season, he moved to Roswell.
In , Bauman broke out (if one can "break out" from a 53-home run season), winning the triple crown and also leading the league in runs and walks for Roswell. His totals were eye-popping. In 138 games, he had 199 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 498 at bats for a .400 average. He hit 35 doubles, 3 triples, and 72 home runs - the latter, a professional baseball record that stood for years until Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
topped it in 2001. He also drove in 228 runs, and walked 150 times.
Roswell was a small town, and Bauman was the biggest local attraction since the 1947 crash and suspected alien landing. After each home run, fans would push dollar bills through the fence, and the game would have to be stopped for a few minutes to collect all the money.
Bauman could not duplicate his 1954 season in , hitting only 46 home runs with a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .336. The following season, he played just 52 games and hit 17 homers. He retired in at age 34. The career ledger for Joe Bauman reads: 1,019 games, 982 runs scored, 1,166 hits, 337 home runs, 1,057 runs batted in, 974 walks, and a .337 batting average. He was a true legend on a small stage.
Personal
Bauman was born in Welch, OklahomaWelch, Oklahoma
Welch is a town in Craig County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 597 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Welch is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
.
After his baseball career, Bauman continued to run the service station which he had started operating during the last years of his playing career.
Bauman died on September 20, 2005.
Legacy
The Joe Bauman Home Run AwardJoe Bauman Home Run Award
The Joe Bauman Home Run Award is the award given to the minor league baseball player who hit the most regular season home runs that year. The award, first given in 2002, is named after Joe Bauman, who set a then-professional record with 72 home runs in 1954, while playing for the Roswell Rockets of...
is given out annually since 2002 to the minor league baseball player with the most home runs.