Ginsberg, Joe

Myron Nathan Ginsberg

A good defensive catcher who didn't hit much (lifetime .241 average), Ginsburg played between 1948-1962 for seven major league teams. Primarily a backup catcher, Ginsberg nonetheless managed to finish 20th among all major league catchers for plate appearances in the 1950s. In 1962, Joe was the New York Mets' starting catcher in the franchise's first-ever home game.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. October 11, 1926

Career Highlights:
Born in New York, Ginsburg was raised in Detroit. Signed by the Detroit Tigers out of high school, Ginsburg spent five years in the minors. Following his first year in the minors, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II, but spent the majority of the war playing exhibition games to entertain the troops. In 1948, Ginsburg finally made it to the majors and fulfilled his lifelong dream of playing for the Tigers.
During his rookie year with the Detroit Tigers, Joe hit .361 (okay, it was in only 11 games, but still...). In 1951 and 1952, he was the regular catcher for the Tigers and during the 1952 season, he caught a no-hitter by Virgil Trucks and then broke up a no-hitter by Yankee Vic Raschi with a home run. Joe hit 14 home runs during the 1951 and 1952 seasons -- he hit only six more home runs in the other 11 years he played.
Ginsberg batted .290 for two teams (Detroit and Cleveland) in 1953, and played for another eight seasons. In 1954, he was a member of the 111-win Cleveland Indians (they lost the World Series). Ginsburg caught for the Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City A's, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox, ending his career in 1962 with the expansion New York Mets.

Career Dates:
Ginsburg played for the Detroit Tigers, 1948, 1950-1953, the Cleveland Indians, 1953-1954, the Kansas City A's, 1956, the Baltimore Orioles, 1956-1960, the Chicago White Sox, 1960-1961, the Boston Red Sox, 1961, and the New York Mets, 1962.

Position:
Catcher

Physical description:
5'11", 180 pounds
Throws right, bats left

Career Statistics:
Games: 695
Batting Avg.: .241
Slugging Avg.: .320

At-bats: 1716
Hits: 414
Doubles: 59
Triples: 8

Home Runs: 20
Home Run %: 1.2
Runs: 168
RBI: 182

BB: 226
Strike Outs: 125
Stolen Bases: 7

Pinch Hitting
At-bats: 121
Hits: 22

Fielding Statistics
Put-outs: 2304
Assists: 234
Errors: 44
Double-plays: 40

Total Chances per Game: 4.5
Fielding Avg: .983

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References:
encyclopedia of JEWS in sports, by Bernard Postal, Jesse Silver, and Roy Silver (New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1965)
The Big Book of Jewish Baseball: An Illustrated Encyclopedia and Anecdotal History, by Peter S. Horvitz and Joachim Horvitz (New York: S.P.I. Books, 2001)