Joe Connolly (connojo05)

Joseph Henry Connolly
(Coaster Joe)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 170 lb.

• Debut October 1, 1921
• Final Game July 11, 1924
• Born June 27, 1894 in San Francisco, CA USA
• Died March 30, 1960 in San Francisco, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Joe Connolly began his career with the Tacoma Tigers in the Northwestern League in 1916 and 1917. He was then drafted into the United States Army, spending 15 months in military service before earning his discharge in early 1919. He signed with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League, playing for them in 1919 and 1920. In 1921, he was with the San Antonio Bears of the Texas League, playing 159 games and hitting .314 with 41 doubles, 16 doubles and 13 homers.

Connolly made his big league debut in the final days of the 1921 season with the New York Giants, going 0-for-4 in 2 games. He was able to watch the World Series from the Giants' bench; he had joined the team too late to be eligible for postseason play. Connolly did not like the Giants' contract offer for 1922 and decided instead to join the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association. He had another good season, hitting .323 in 137 games. On August 22nd, his contract was sold to the Cleveland Indians, where he played 12 games, hitting .244. He spent the entire 1923 season in the majors with the Indians as a backup outfielder. He hit .303 in 52 games and only 109 at bats. While his batting average looks good, it was well below that of the team's starters in that high octane offensive season: Tris Speaker hit .380, Homer Summa .328 and Charlie Jamieson .345. On June 6th, in the highlight of his big league career, he hit a pinch-hit grand slam against the Boston Red Sox.

On January 7, 1924, Connolly was included in a seven-player trade to the Boston Red Sox. Dan Boone, Steve O'Neill and Bill Wambsganss joined him, moving for George Burns, Chick Fewster and Roxy Walters. Joe saw only sparse playing time with Boston, getting into 14 games and going 1-for-10, before being sent down to San Antonio in July. There, he hit .280 in 53 games. It was the end of his big league career, as he finished with a .268 average in 80 games with 3 homers and 32 RBI. After the 1924 season, the Red Sox traded Connolly to the minor league Salt Lake City Bees in a deal that landed them pitcher Rudy Kallio. He played 80 games and hit .317 in the PCL in 1925 but his season ended on August 21st when he broke his leg sliding into home. The Bees became the Hollywood Stars in 1926, but they did not want to keep Joe around. He ended up playing for three teams that season - Hollywood, San Francisco and the Oakland Oaks, but hit only .240 in 60 games. That was the end of the line.

Connolly never married and spent the rest of his life in his hometown of San Francisco. He worked as a shipping clerk for a time and died of a heart attack in 1960, at the age of 65. He was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery due to his status as a World War I veteran.

Related Sites

• Joe Connolly at the SABR Bio Project