1967 Profile: Joe Pepitone

"The hot seat Joe Pepitone has been sitting on for the past few seasons became comfortably cooler in 1966. Criticized for not playing up to his full potential and for occasionally failing to concentrate enough, Joe showed signs of reaching maturity last year.
A home run binge in the second half of the campaign brought his total up to 31 - a career high - although his average leveled off at .255, with 83 RBIs. Overall, though, it was an improvement over his performance in 1965, when Joe admittedly was a mixed-up guy, hitting .247 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs. An exciting first baseman, Joe may yet wind up in the outfield, where his range and instincts could make him one of the best in the game."

-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1967

"There's no escaping Joe Pepitone. Whether playing center field or first base, hitting, running or throwing, Joe Pepitone is 'what's happening'. Joe's in the picture.
The colorful Brooklyn-born slugger won consecutive Sporting News Gold Glove awards as the American League's premier fielding first baseman. Now he wants to win one as the league's top center fielder. Pepi moved to center this spring in the widely heralded Mickey Mantle experiment at first base.
No less an authority than Joe DiMaggio says, 'He can do it all in center field. He gets a good jump on the ball; he has good range, speed and a good arm which will improve as he becomes accustomed to throwing from the outfield.'
Last year, Pepi set a personal home run high with 31 and led the Yankees in games played, runs scored, homers and RBIs.
At 26, Joe Pepitone's future is in front of him ... which augurs well for the Yankees in the next few seasons."

-The New York Yankees Official 1967 Yearbook

MY GREATEST THRILL
"I once hit two homers in a game with my lifelong idol - Joe DiMaggio - sitting in the stands. He was here in New York for the Yankees' Old Timers' Day. As I rounded first after the second homer, I looked up and saw him give me a wave."

-Joe Pepitone, The New York Yankees Official 1967 Yearbook

Signed by Yankee organization, April 13, 1958.
Tied major league record by hitting two home runs in one inning, against Kansas City, May 23, 1962.
Led Yankees in games played (157), total bases (260) and RBIs (89), 1963.
Knocked in winning run 16 times, more than any other Yankee, 1963.
One of 10 to hit a grand slam in the World Series, 8th inning, October 14, 1964.
Led American League first basemen in fielding (.997), 1965.
Led American League first basemen in fielding (.995), 1966
Led Yankees in games played (152), runs scored (85), home runs (31) and RBIs (83), 1966.

-1967 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide