Joseph Earl "Joe" Pickens (October 25, 1893 – July 25, 1968) was an American professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for two seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians in 1918 and the Philadelphia Athletics in 1919.
Early Life
Born in Union, South Carolina, Pickens began his professional baseball career in the minor leagues before reaching the majors.Career
Pickens, a right-handed pitcher, made his MLB debut on April 27, 1918, with the Cleveland Indians. He appeared in 14 games for the Indians, primarily as a relief pitcher, before his season was cut short due to military service during World War I.After the war, Pickens joined the Philadelphia Athletics for the 1919 season. He played in 17 games for the Athletics, starting 7 of them. His final MLB appearance was on September 14, 1919.
Throughout his brief two-year MLB career, Pickens posted a combined record of 0 wins and 3 losses in 31 appearances. He pitched 66.0 innings, allowing 32 earned runs for a career earned run average (ERA) of 4.36.
Post-Playing Career
Following his time in the major leagues, Pickens continued to play in various minor league organizations for several more years.Personal Life
Joe Pickens passed away on July 25, 1968, at the age of 74. He is interred in Union, South Carolina.See Also
- List of Major League Baseball players with a career ERA above 4.00