Joe Stanka
Encyclopedia
Joe Donald Stanka is a former major league baseball player from Hammon, Oklahoma
. He played for the Chicago White Sox
in the major leagues, and the Nankai Hawks
and Taiyo Whales
in the Japanese professional leagues.
in 1959 at age 28. He ended his major league career with only 2 appearances that year.
He signed with the Nankai Hawks
(current Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
) during the 1959 off-season. He was one of the first players to be signed from the Triple-A class of the minor leagues, and the team calculated that he should be able to win over 20 games in the Japanese Pacific League
.
Stanka entered the starting rotation in his first year, and marked a 17-12 record in his first year, leading the league with 103 walks. He played his best season in 1964, winning 26 games to receive the league MVP award
. He pitched shutouts in Games 1, 6, and 7 of the Japan Series against the Hanshin Tigers
to win the Japan Series MVP award as well.
He continued to pitch for the Hawks in 1965, but left the team after his eldest son died in a tragic accident. He played for the Taiyo Whales
in 1966 before retiring. He is tied with Gene Bacque
for the most wins among foreign players in Japan, going 100-72 during his seven-year career in Japan.
Hammon, Oklahoma
Hammon is a town in Custer and Roger Mills counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located at the junction of Oklahoma Highways 33 & 34, the majority of the town is in Roger Mills County, but some of the town limits extend into Custer County. The population was 568 at the 2010...
. He played for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in the major leagues, and the Nankai Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
and Taiyo Whales
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
in the Japanese professional leagues.
Biography
Stanka spent most of his career in the minor leagues, but managed to make his major league debut with the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in 1959 at age 28. He ended his major league career with only 2 appearances that year.
He signed with the Nankai Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
(current Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
) during the 1959 off-season. He was one of the first players to be signed from the Triple-A class of the minor leagues, and the team calculated that he should be able to win over 20 games in the Japanese Pacific League
Pacific League
The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues constituting Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship competes against the winner in the Central League for the annual Japan Series...
.
Stanka entered the starting rotation in his first year, and marked a 17-12 record in his first year, leading the league with 103 walks. He played his best season in 1964, winning 26 games to receive the league MVP award
Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
The is an honor given annually in baseball to two outstanding players in Nippon Professional Baseball , one each for the Central League and Pacific League....
. He pitched shutouts in Games 1, 6, and 7 of the Japan Series against the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
to win the Japan Series MVP award as well.
He continued to pitch for the Hawks in 1965, but left the team after his eldest son died in a tragic accident. He played for the Taiyo Whales
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
in 1966 before retiring. He is tied with Gene Bacque
Gene Bacque
Gene Bacque is a former professional baseball player who played in the Japanese professional leagues.-Biography:...
for the most wins among foreign players in Japan, going 100-72 during his seven-year career in Japan.