A native-born New Yorker who became a Yankee star for a few seasons is gone.
Joe Pepitone, who spent almost a decade with the Yankees, passed away.
He was 82 years old.
The Standard
After his rookie season, Pepitone became the standard for the next few seasons.
He made the All-Star team three consecutive years beginning with the 1963 season.
He also managed to put a couple of Gold Gloves in his trophy case in 1965 and 1966.
The Yankees made it to the World Series twice during Pepitone’s run, but they would lose both times.
After his death, the Yankees stated, “The Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of former Yankee Joe Pepitone, whose playful and charismatic personality and on-field contributions made him a favorite of generations of Yankees fans even beyond his years with the team in the 1960s.
“As a native New Yorker, he embraced everything about being a Yankee during both his playing career – which included three All-Star appearances and three Gold Gloves – and in the decades thereafter.
“You always knew when Joe walked into a room – his immense pride in being a Yankee was always on display.
“He will be missed by our entire organization, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and all who knew him.”
Pepitone ended up playing 1,051 games for the Yankees, smacking 166 home runs and bringing in 541 RBIs.
Source: Fox News