Joe Bowman
Encyclopedia
Joseph Emil Bowman was pitcher
who played in Major League Baseball
from through . Bowman batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas
.
A starter
most of his career, Bowman also filled various relief
roles coming out from the bullpen
, as a closer
or a middle reliever
, and as a set-up man
as well. He reached the majors in 1932 with the Philaldelphia Athletics
, spending one year with them before moving to the New York Giants
(1934), Philadelphia Phillies
(1935–37), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1937–41), Boston Red Sox
(1944–45) and Cincinnati Reds
(1945). He was one of two 20-game losers with the last-place 1936 Phillies, but won 39 games in five seasons for Pittsburgh. He went 12-8 with Boston in 1944 and won 11 games for Cincinnati in 1945, his last major league season. Often used as a pinch hitter
, he hit .333 in 1938 and .344 in 1939.
In an 11-season career, Bowman posted a 77-96 record with a 4.40 ERA
and 11 saves
in 298 appearances, including 184 starts, 74 complete games, five shutout
s, and 1465 ⅔ innings pitched
. As a hitter, he collected a .221 batting average
(141-for-639) with two home run
s and 75 RBI
in 430 games.
After his playing career, Joe Bowman was a minor league player and manager before becoming a successful baseball scout. Bowman was the Scouting Director for Charlie Finley's Kansas City A's from 1960-1968. In that role, Bowman was instrumental in assembling a scouting staff and finding the players who would become the core of the Oakland Athletics' three World Series Champion teams from 1972-1974. When the A's moved to Oakland in 1968, Bowman decided to stay home in Kansas City where he became a regional scout first for the Atlanta Braves for a brief time before a long stint scouting for the Baltimore Orioles.
Bowman died in Kansas City, Missouri
in November 1990, at the age of 80.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from through . Bowman batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
.
A starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
most of his career, Bowman also filled various relief
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
roles coming out from the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
, as a closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
or a middle reliever
Middle relief pitcher
In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required . In the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled for a pinch hitter...
, and as a set-up man
Setup pitcher
In baseball, a setup pitcher is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the 7th and/or 8th innings, with the closer pitching the 9th....
as well. He reached the majors in 1932 with the Philaldelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, spending one year with them before moving to the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1934), Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1935–37), Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1937–41), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1944–45) and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1945). He was one of two 20-game losers with the last-place 1936 Phillies, but won 39 games in five seasons for Pittsburgh. He went 12-8 with Boston in 1944 and won 11 games for Cincinnati in 1945, his last major league season. Often used as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
, he hit .333 in 1938 and .344 in 1939.
In an 11-season career, Bowman posted a 77-96 record with a 4.40 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
and 11 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
in 298 appearances, including 184 starts, 74 complete games, five shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s, and 1465 ⅔ innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. As a hitter, he collected a .221 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(141-for-639) with two home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 75 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 430 games.
After his playing career, Joe Bowman was a minor league player and manager before becoming a successful baseball scout. Bowman was the Scouting Director for Charlie Finley's Kansas City A's from 1960-1968. In that role, Bowman was instrumental in assembling a scouting staff and finding the players who would become the core of the Oakland Athletics' three World Series Champion teams from 1972-1974. When the A's moved to Oakland in 1968, Bowman decided to stay home in Kansas City where he became a regional scout first for the Atlanta Braves for a brief time before a long stint scouting for the Baltimore Orioles.
Bowman died in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in November 1990, at the age of 80.