Joe Adcock

Joseph Wilbur Adcock (October 30, 1927 – May 3, 1999) was an American professional baseball player and manager who played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1966. Born in Coushatta, Louisiana, he attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he played on the school's ballclub.

Adcock was most prominent as a member of the Milwaukee Braves, who won two consecutive National League pennants and the 1957 World Series. A two-time All-Star, he was known for his long-distance home runs, including hitting four in a single game in 1954. He ranks third in Milwaukee Braves history in hits, home runs, runs batted in, and total bases. Over the course of his major league tenure he also played for the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, and the Los Angeles / California Angels.

A sure-handed defensive player, at the time of his retirement in 1966 he held the third-highest career fielding percentage by a major league first baseman, at .994. His nickname "Billy Joe" derived from Vanderbilt University basketball star "Billy Joe Adcock" and was popularized by Vin Scully. Adcock was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame in 2022.