Joe Buzas

Who was Joe Buzas?

Joseph John "Joe" Buzas was a Major League Baseball shortstop. Buzas played for the New York Yankees in the 1945 baseball season. In 30 career games, he had 17 hits, 6 RBIs and a .262 batting average. He batted and threw right-handed.

He was the owner of the Salt Lake Stingers and the team's president at the time of his death. In 1996, his team had received the John J. Johnson President's Trophy, given each year to the top minor league franchise.

He was born in Alpha, New Jersey, and as a student at Bucknell University, Buzas had been a standout in basketball, football, baseball and boxing. He signed with the Yankees in 1941. He made it to the major leagues in 1945; however, a shoulder injury ended his playing career early.

At the age of 26, he became a manager of a minor league team. He spent a decade in Puerto Rico before taking over the ownership of the Class A Eastern League Allentown Red Sox in 1958.

Leaving Allentown in 1960, Buzas operated 82 minor league franchises in his 45 years as an owner. He moved west and his Portland, Oregon team was relocated to Salt Lake City in 1994 and the Salt Lake Buzz led the Pacific Coast League in attendance for its first six years. In 1975 he was presented with the King of Baseball award given by Minor League Baseball.