Baseball fans were saddened to learn that one of the New York Yankee greats had passed away.
Joe Pepitone, a three-time All-Star who was a staple of the 1960s New York Yankees, has died at 82, reports Fox News.
While the cause of death has not yet been reported, AP News reports that it was likely a heart attack.
Sad Day
The Yankees were obviously devasted by the news.
The organization 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."
It is not often an athlete in any sport gets to play for their hometown team, but Pepitone was one of the few that could boast that. He was a native New Yorker and proud of it.
He got his first cup of coffee in 1962, hitting a mere .239 in 63 games at only 21 years old.
The next three years, he lit it up, making three straight All-Star game appearances and winning back-to-back Gold Gloves in the 1965 and 1966 seasons.
The Yankees went to the World Series in 1963 and 1964, with Pepitone being a major contributor, but they lost both times.
Overall, Pepitone played eight seasons in pinstripes, hitting 166 home runs and 541 RBIs in 1,051 games. He would finish his career as a journeyman, playing for the Astros, Cubs, and Braves, before finally retiring in 1973. However, he and the fans always considered him a Yankee.
