Joe Hauser
| Joe Hauser | |||
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Joe Hauser as a baseball player
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| First baseman | |||
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Born: January 12, 1899 Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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Died: July 11, 1997 (aged 98) Sheboygan, Wisconsin |
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| MLB debut | |||
| April 18, 1922, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| October 6, 1929, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .284 | ||
| Home runs | 80 | ||
| Runs batted in | 356 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Joseph John "Unser Choe" Hauser (January 21, 1899 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – July 11, 1997 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) was a professional baseball player who played first baseman in the major leagues from 1922 to 1929, with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians. Hauser's major league career was undistinguished, but he made a name for himself in the minor leagues, where he became the first player ever to hit 60 or more home runs twice in a professional career: 63 in 1930, and 69 in 1933.
After being discovered playing semi-pro ball in Waupun, Wisconsin, Hauser was signed to begin with Providence of the Eastern League in 1918, and found himself back in his hometown two years later, with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association. There he acquired the nickname "Unser Choe". As he told it, the predominantly German-immigrant fans would support him. If he was having a bad day at the plate and some fans were booing, others would admonish them with, "Das ist unser Choe!" -- German and German-English for "That is our Joe!"
He had his best major league year statistically in 1924, but a broken leg and slow recovery hampered his career in 1925 and 1926. In 1928 he seemed to get back on track, but his ability to hit major league pitching somehow vanished, and after 1929 he was through in the majors. He later blamed A's player-coach Ty Cobb for over-analyzing and impairing his hitting style.
Back in the minors in 1930, Hauser played for the Baltimore Orioles of the International League and regained his hitting touch, slamming a then-professional record of 63 home runs in one season, in the cozy confines of Oriole Park. He also led the minors in homers in 1931. The Minneapolis Millers of the American Association thought Hauser would be a good addition to the even-cozier Nicollet Park, home of the Millers, and they were right. They bought his contract just before the 1932 season. After a slow start, Hauser hit 49 long ones to lead the Association in home runs. He might have hit more, and challenged the league record of 54 (set by Nick Cullop of the Millers in 1930), but he was rested to allow an injury to heal so that he would be healthy for the Junior World Series.
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