Joe Pepitone

Joseph Anthony Pepitone (October 9, 1940 – March 13, 2023) was an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1973. Born in the Brooklyn borough of New York City and raised in the Park Slope neighborhood, he had two younger brothers and attended Manual Training High School. At age 17 he was shot by a classmate while at school; he did not press charges against the shooter. That same week, his father died from a stroke at age 39.

Pepitone signed with the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in August 1958, appearing in 16 games for the Auburn Yankees of the Class D New York–Pennsylvania League. After four seasons in the minor leagues, he broke in with the Yankees in 1962, playing behind Moose Skowron at first base and batting .239 in 63 games. He went on to play for the Yankees, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Braves, and in 1973 also played for the Yakult Atoms of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Over his career Pepitone was a three-time MLB All-Star and won three Gold Glove Awards. He died on March 13, 2023, at the age of 82.