Joe Lonnett
Encyclopedia
Joseph Paul Lonnett is a former catcher
and coach
in Major League Baseball
. As a player, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 5'10½" (179 cm) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
Lonnett spent most of the first 24 years of his baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies
organization, as a minor league
catcher and manager
, and major league catcher and scout. He spent all or parts of the 1956-59 seasons with the big-league Phillies as a second-string receiver, appearing in 143 games, and batting
.166 with six home runs and 27 runs batted in — never once cracking the .200 level for a season.
He returned to the major leagues as the third-base coach on Chuck Tanner
's staff with the Chicago White Sox
(1971–75), Oakland Athletics
(1976), and Pittsburgh Pirates
(1977–84). He was a coach on the Pirates' 1979 world championship
team
.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. As a player, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 5'10½" (179 cm) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
Lonnett spent most of the first 24 years of his baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organization, as a minor league
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...
catcher and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, and major league catcher and scout. He spent all or parts of the 1956-59 seasons with the big-league Phillies as a second-string receiver, appearing in 143 games, and batting
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 :...
.166 with six home runs and 27 runs batted in — never once cracking the .200 level for a season.
He returned to the major leagues as the third-base coach on Chuck Tanner
Chuck Tanner
Charles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...
's staff with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1971–75), Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1976), and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1977–84). He was a coach on the Pirates' 1979 world championship
1979 World Series
The 1979 World Series matched the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates against the American League's Baltimore Orioles , with the Pirates coming back from a three games to one deficit to win the Series in seven games...
team
1978 Pittsburgh Pirates season
- Offseason :* December 8, 1977: Al Oliver and Nelson Norman were traded by the Pirates to the Texas Rangers as part of a four-team trade. Bert Blyleven was traded by the Rangers to the Pirates, and John Milner was traded by the New York Mets to the Pirates...
.