RIP Joe Christopher, 1935-2023

[G-Fafif]

Almost Original Met Joe Christopher has died today at age 87. The baseball pride of the U.S. Virgin Islands hit an even .300 for the Mets in 1964, his best year of the four he spent in orange and blue.

[MFS62]

I liked him on the Pirates and was happy when the Mets got him.

RIP



Later

Edited October 3, 2023 by Guest

[roger_that]

Aw. A superstar in 1964. Had a year Bill James compared to a typical Roberto Clemente season.



Which is slightly ironic, since JC was the rightfielder for the Pirates, subbing for Clemente, over whose head Joe Adcock hit his HR ruining Harvey Haddix's 13-inning perfect game.

[MFS62]

=G-Fafif post_id=138756 time=1696366604 user_id=55]
Almost Original Met Joe Christopher

[Benjamin Grimm]

Link please?



It's not official until it's in the UMDB, so for the moment, Joe Christopher remains the seventh oldest living Met.

[G-Fafif]

=MFS62 post_id=138761 time=1696367370 user_id=60]
=G-Fafif post_id=138756 time=1696366604 user_id=55]
Almost Original Met Joe Christopher

[G-Fafif]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Link please? It's not official until it's in the UMDB, so for the moment, Joe Christopher remains the seventh oldest living Met.

Reported by his daughter Michelle on Facebook. He was living in Bel Air, Md.

[roger_that]

Wasn't on the Opening Day roster and didn't play as a Met until May

The UMDB doesn't list such roster additions and subtractions on their "transactions" page. Where did you find this bit of info? It would be interesting to see call-ups, DL appearances. etc.

[stevejrogers]

Wasn't on the Opening Day roster and didn't play as a Met until May The UMDB doesn't list such roster additions and subtractions on their "transactions" page. Where did you find this bit of info? It would be interesting to see call-ups, DL appearances. etc.

Either Greg has access to the 1963 Media Guide, it's in Dennis Dagastino's (RIP) book, or a similar but smaller booklet type publication that came out in the late 1980s that chronicled Met comings and goings.

[G-Fafif]

The Original Mets roster is included in the heavily researched A Year in Mudville by Dave Bagdade, who notes Christopher was one of the final cuts of Spring Training. Joe began the year in Syracuse.

[roger_that]

=G-Fafif post_id=138793 time=1696390364 user_id=55]
The Original Mets roster is included in the heavily researched A Year in Mudville by Dave Bagdade, who notes Christopher was one of the final cuts of Spring Training. Joe began the year in Syracuse.

[Edgy MD]

Died with a comfortable lead on Akeel Morris for the title of "Greatest Met from the US Virgin Islands."

[G-Fafif]

http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/10/07/a-true-fan-favorite/Something for Joe.

[MFS62]

http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/10/07/a-true-fan-favorite/Something for Joe.

Thank you.

Baseball was more than his stats to us.

He was fun.

Later

[roger_that]

http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2023/10/07/a-true-fan-favorite/Something for Joe.

Nice. Here's another extensive obit for JC: joe-christopher-was-my-friendjoe-christopher-was-my-friend



Thanks for clarifying who (Gus Bell) was dropped from the roster to make room for JC, and when:

the 26-year-old was sent to Syracuse to start 1962. But by May, once Bell was identified as the player to be named later in the trade that brought Frank Thomas to the Mets from the Braves (never mind that Bell had played alongside Thomas for more than a month as a Met), Christopher was promoted to the bigs. The Mets employed 45 players in 1962. Joe was the 35th to debut, on May 21.

[G-Fafif]

Here's the link to George Vecsey's remembrance.



https://www.georgevecsey.com/home/joe-christopher-was-my-friendhttps://www.georgevecsey.com/home/joe-christopher-was-my-friend

[roger_that]

Here's the link to George Vecsey's remembrance. https://www.georgevecsey.com/home/joe-christopher-was-my-friendhttps://www.georgevecsey.com/home/joe-christopher-was-my-friend

That's what I posted.



But mine doesn't open up for some reason, so thanks.



Anyone got a free link to the NYTIMES obit?