Joe Frazier

Who was Joe Frazier?

Joseph Filmore Frazier was an outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1941, but did not play in the major leagues until 1947. After 1947, he spent parts of three seasons in the 1950s, primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1956, at the age of 33, he finished his playing career after having played in 217 games.

He then had a successful career as a minor league manager, first in the Houston Astros organization, and then, beginning in 1968, in the New York Mets farm system. He managed in Mankato of the Northern League, then Pompano Beach in the Florida State League. He would win the pennant in 1971 with Visalia of the California League. He then went on to win league championships with Memphis and Victoria in the Texas League.

Frazier, managing the Tidewater Tides in 1975, won the International League championship. The Tides had to win 22 of their last 33 games to finish the regular season in a first-place tie with the Rochester Red Wings. The Tides then won a one-game playoff behind the four-hit pitching of Nino Espinosa. The Tides advanced to win the Governors' Cup by defeating Charleston three games to none, and then Syracuse, three games to one. They then went on to the Junior World Series, losing to Evansville of the American Association four games to one.