Joe Yeager


Joseph Francis Yeager, also nicknamed "Little Joe", was an American professional baseball infielder and pitcher. He played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Superbas, Detroit Tigers, New York Highlanders, and St. Louis Browns.

Early years

Yeager was born in Philadelphia in 1875.

Professional baseball

Yeager began playing professional baseball in the minor leagues, including three years with the Lancaster Maroons from 1895 to 1897. In 1896, he compiled a 17-1 record as a pitcher and had a.346 batting average. The following year, he compiled a 26-11 win-loss record and maintained a.345 batting average.
In 1897, Yeager made his major league debut with the Superbas. He had 32 complete games and a respectable earned run average but lost 22 games for a team that finished in 10th place.
Yeager played for the Detroit Tigers as a right-handed starting pitcher during their first major league season in 1901. He pitched 199.2 innings in 1901, with 22 complete games, two shutouts, and a 12–11 record. His 2.61 earned run average was third-best in the American League behind Cy Young, and his adjusted ERA+ of 147 was second-best in the league behind Young. Yeager also played 12 games at shortstop for the 1901 Tigers and had a batting average of.296 with a.343 on-base percentage and.416 slugging percentage.
After a 6–12 season as a pitcher in 1902, Yeager made the switch from pitcher to third baseman. He was the Tigers' starting third baseman in 1903 and went on to play third base for the New York Highlanders and St. Louis Browns.
Yeager has been credited with originating the squeeze play.

Family and later years

Yeager was married in approximately 1900 to Addie Ruby. He was employed by the City of Detroit for the last 18 years of his life. They lived in Detroit. Yeager became ill in June 1937 and died three weeks later at his home located at 8729 W. Vernor Highway in Detroit. He was 61 years old.