Joe Dugan

Third baseman

Born: May 12, 1897
Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania

Died: July 7, 1982 (aged 85)
Norwood, Massachusetts

Batted: Right

Threw: Right

MLB debut

July 5, 1917, for the Philadelphia Athletics

Last MLB appearance

May 26, 1931, for the Detroit Tigers

MLB statistics

Batting average

.280

Home runs

Runs batted in

571

Teams

Career highlights and awards

3× World Series champion (1923, 1927, 1928)

Joseph Anthony (Joe) Dugan (May 12, 1897 – July 7, 1982), was an American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Jumping Joe", he played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop and third baseman from 1917 through 1931. Dugan played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1917–22), Boston Red Sox (1922), New York Yankees (1922–28), Boston Braves (1929) and Detroit Tigers (1931). He was considered one of the best defensive third basemen of his era.

Born in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, and later attending Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut, Dugan went directly from the College of the Holy Cross to the major leagues. He made his major league debut at the age of 20 with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics on July 5, 1917. Dugan struggled as a hitter his first two years, batting a combined .195, but in 1919 he batted .271, then the next year hit .322. By 1920, Dugan was being cited as the best third baseman in the major leagues. He was moved permanently to third base in 1921, and would be a steady .280-.300 hitter as well as a fine defensive third baseman for the rest of his career.

It was in his first years in baseball that Dugan acquired the nickname of "Jumping", a nickname bestowed on him since he would often take unauthorized leaves from the team. After committing a few errors, he was booed by the Philadelphia fans. Sensitive and temperamental, he would leave the team until Mack was able to coax him back. Word of his departure spread around the league and, he would often be taunted by fans with the cry,"I want to go home!"

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