Year Inducted: 1977
Nominated By: Betty & Howard Holloway
Sports Competed In: Baseball
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach
High School:
Attended Trinidad H.S., graduating in 1960.
Achievements:
High School:
● Three-year member of the baseball team (1958-60)...Team's top hitter for three seasons and led the South Central League with a .509 batting average (BA).
● Played three seasons of basketball at guard (1958-60).
● Played for American Legion Post 11 (Trinidad)... Team's top hitter for two years (.337 & .388 BA).
College:
Went to Trinidad State College (TSC)...Transferred to the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) the following year and graduated in 1964...Completed work on his Master Degree at University of Northern Colorado (1966).
Achievements:
College:
● Played shortstop at TSC and was the teams' top hitter for a year (1960-61) earning him kudos to the All Empire Conference team.
● Played three seasons at UNC in the infield (2nd base/shortstop/3rd base) from 1962-64.
● Earned All-Rocky Mountain Conference honors as an infielder (3rd base).
● Two-time All District 7 (2nd base/shortstop).
● Holds two school records at UNC: Number of hits in one game (6) and longest hitting streak (20 games)...Was UNC's top hitter at .393 BA.
Coaching Career:
● Head Coach, Weld Central High School Keensburg, CO (1964-65).
● Head Coach, Roncalli High School (1966-67).
● Hired by Dist. #60, Corwin Junior High (1968-70).
● Spent eight years as Head Coach Pueblo East H.S. (1971-78).
● Led the Eagles to three South-Central League titles.
● Amassed a record of 170-67.
● Named "Coach of the Year".
Honors:
● Four-time selection - "Who’s Who Among American Teachers".
● Inducted into the University of Northern Colorado Hall of Fame (2008).
● Known as "Have Bat will Travel" in his later years.
● Has five baseball World Championship rings (2012).
Related Activities:
● Played second base for the Pueblo Diablos... Four-time All-Metro league infielder.
● Returned to the baseball diamond and played for the World Champion Chicago Spirit and won the Roy Hobbs World Series in Ft. Myers, Florida (April 23, 2009)...Hit his best at .435 batting average, knocking in nine runs and scored seven times. .
Quotes:
"I was shocked how well Joe played and I was even more shocked when I found what he had gone through", he didn’t tell anybody he had Guillain-Barré Syndrome. "He's not the type of person who wants sympathy. He’s just a remarkable person and he has a lot of guts and determination."
-- Chicago teammate Mickey Alpert speechless.
Occupation:
● Teacher and coach for 28 years in School District #60.
● Coach at East High School for 28 years (1970-1998).
Personal:
Lives in Pueblo with his wife, June... Passed away on July 16, 2024, after a hard-fought battle with melanoma.
