Joe Durham, American baseball player, Died at 84

  Sports

Joseph Vann Durham was born on July 31, 1931, and died on April 28, 2016.

He was an American professional baseball player and coach.

He played in the position of an outfielder, he appeared in Major League Baseball in 93 games for the Baltimore Orioles (1954 and 1957) and St. Louis Cardinals (1959).

Durham was a student at Shaw University.

Joe threw and batted right-handed, he stooded as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 186 pounds (84 kg).

Joe started his professional career in the Negro Leagues with the Chicago American Giants, then was signed by Bill Veeck, president of the St. Louis Browns, prior to the 1953 season.

Durham was in the Browns’ farm system when the franchise moved to Baltimore, Maryland, during 1954.

After he had an outstanding season in the Double-A Texas League in 1954, Joe was recalled by the Orioles in September and in ten games collected nine hits in 44 plate appearances, including his first Major League home run off Al Sima of the Philadelphia Athletics on September 12.

However, he missed the 1955–1956 seasons performing military service.

Joe Durham was at the start of the 1957 season in the Texas League, however, he was recalled by Baltimore in June after batting a torrid .391 over the first 50 games of the season.

Then he when on to make an appearance in 77 games for the Orioles over the rest of the year, starting 40 games as an outfielder, but he batted only .186 and was sent to the Triple-A Vancouver Mounties for 1958. A solid season there (.285 and 85 runs batted in) resulted in Durham’s selection by the Cardinals in the 1958 Rule 5 draft.

Durham started in 1959 on the Cardinals’ roster, but appeared in only six games, starting one.

He was hitless in five at-bats and scored two runs.

Joe then when back to Vancouver and the Orioles’ system.

Separate from 1963, which he spent with the New York Yankees’ system, Durham played at the top level of the Baltimore organization through 1964, then became the team’s batting practice pitcher.

Joe moved into the Orioles’ front office in 1986, then became a coach for the Class A Frederick Keys of the Carolina League.

Joe Durham passed away at 84 yrs old.