Eddie Joost – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Eddie Joost wrapped up his 17-year Major League Baseball career in 1955, hanging up his cleats after a final run with the Boston Red Sox. For nearly two decades, he bounced between four teams, leaving his mark as both a player and a manager.

He played through some wild times, from the Depression era all the way to the post-World War II baseball boom. Joost faced plenty of hurdles, including vision problems, but he tackled them head-on. He became one of the first players to regularly wear glasses on the field, which totally changed his game and helped the Philadelphia Athletics become a real threat in the late 1940s.

His stats tell you a lot about his approach. Joost valued patience at the plate and defense more than just raw hitting power. He finished with 134 home runs and a .239 batting average in 1,575 games, the kind of steady, reliable player who quietly glued mid-century baseball teams together.

Joost grew up in San Francisco and worked his way to the majors, adapting to changing times and fighting through personal setbacks. His story touches on everything from the evolution of baseball gear to the chaos of wartime baseball.

The financial struggles of the era eventually led to his brief run as a player-manager with the Athletics in 1954.

Early Life and Amateur Beginnings

Eddie Joost started chasing his Major League dreams in Depression-era San Francisco. He pushed through tough times to keep his baseball dreams alive.

He developed his skills at Mission High School and jumped straight to professional baseball with the Mission Reds. He was only 16.

Family Background and Upbringing

Edwin David Joost was born June 5, 1916, in San Francisco. His parents, Emma C. Joost and Henry Joost, raised five kids and scraped by during the Great Depression.

Henry worked as an auto mechanic and had played semipro ball as a catcher. Eddie’s family roots traced back to Germany and the Netherlands, with his paternal grandparents coming from Germany and his maternal grandparents born in California.

The Joost family really struggled financially while Eddie grew up. “My family wasn’t destitute, but it was close to it,” he remembered about those Depression years.

Still, they held onto their values and always supported Eddie’s sports ambitions. His dad’s baseball background probably nudged him toward the game early on.

Mission High School and Athletic Development

Eddie went to Bryant Elementary, then Horace Mann Junior High, and finally landed at Mission High School in San Francisco. He built his baseball chops there while keeping up with his classes.

At Mission High, he played infield and caught the eye of pro scouts. He showed enough talent to get a pro offer before even finishing high school.

The school gave him what he needed, both in the classroom and on the field. Those years at Mission High were crucial for what came next.

His development during those years set him up to sign with a pro team at an age when most kids were just worried about homework.

Pacific Coast League Experience

In 1933, while still in high school, Eddie signed with the Mission Reds of the Pacific Coast League for $150 a month. He was just 16, which made him one of the youngest pros around.

The Mission Reds played at Seals Stadium, so Eddie stayed close to home. In his first season, he played 25 games at shortstop and batted .250 under manager Fred Hofmann.

Eddie stuck with the Mission Reds for four seasons, from 1933 to 1936. He moved over to third base for his last two seasons, hitting .287 in 1935 and .286 in 1936 under managers Gabby Street and Willie Kamm.

His steady play got the attention of big league scouts. Near the end of 1936, the Cincinnati Reds bought his contract, and just like that, he was heading to the majors.

Professional Baseball Career

Eddie Joost’s big league career stretched from 1936 to 1955. He played for four organizations, found championship glory with Cincinnati, hit some rough patches in Boston, and had his best years in Philadelphia before wrapping up with the Red Sox.

Major League Debut with Cincinnati Reds

Joost made his major league debut on September 11, 1936, with the Cincinnati Reds. He was just 20. He played 13 games that first call-up, batting .154 (4-for-26) with one RBI and a double.

Manager Chuck Dressen didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet. Dressen told him, “What I have seen of you, you will not be a major-league player. If we keep you, you’ll be a utility player.”

Joost stuck with the Reds through 1942, though. He was there for Cincinnati’s back-to-back pennants in 1939 and 1940.

World Series Performance:

• 1939: Didn’t play (Reds swept by Yankees)
• 1940: Started all 7 games at second base
• Hit .200 (5-for-25) with 2 RBIs in the championship over Detroit

His chance came when Lonny Frey, the regular second baseman, broke his foot during a water cooler accident. Joost stepped in and helped the Reds win their first World Series title since 1919.

Transition to Boston Braves

The Reds traded Joost to the Boston Braves in December 1942, packaging him with pitcher Nate Andrews and $25,000 for shortstop Eddie Miller. Joost had clashed with manager Bill McKechnie over strategy.

Joost didn’t get along with new manager Casey Stengel either. He later called Stengel “one of the worst managers in baseball at the time.” During team meetings, Joost would just turn his chair away and read the newspaper.

His numbers tanked in Boston. In 1943, he hit just .185 in 124 games, though he did draw 68 walks and kept his on-base percentage at .299.

Military Service Impact:

• Missed all of 1944 due to World War II
• Worked in a defense plant (meat-packing) in San Francisco
• Played industrial league baseball on Sundays

Joost came back in 1945 but broke his wrist in July when Billy Jurges slid into third. He left the team without clearance and got suspended for being AWOL in August.

Philadelphia Athletics Tenure

The Philadelphia Athletics bought Joost’s contract in September 1946 for $10,000 and three players after he hit 19 homers for Triple-A Rochester. Connie Mack told him, “I’ve heard good reports and bad reports about you, young man. I believe the good ones.”

Joost struggled his first season in Philly. He led the American League with 110 strikeouts and hit just .206 in 1947. Turns out, astigmatism was the culprit, but he kept it quiet at first.

Once he started wearing glasses, everything changed. From 1948 to 1952, Joost locked down the starting shortstop job and became one of the league’s top players at his position.

Peak Performance Years (1947-1952):

• Two-time All-Star
• Career-high 23 home runs in 1949
• Led AL in walks twice (1947, 1949)
• Consistently posted a .350+ on-base percentage

Joost really respected Mack’s leadership. He said, “was a great man, a great person. I don’t think in the eight years I was with the A’s I ever heard him say an unkind word to anyone.”

Final Season with Boston Red Sox

The Athletics traded Joost to the Boston Red Sox in May 1955, ending his long run in Philadelphia. At 38, he mostly filled in as a utility infielder during his final season.

Joost played 81 games for Boston, moving between shortstop, second, and third. He batted .263 with 4 homers and 20 RBIs in his last campaign.

He played his final game on September 25, 1955, against the Yankees. Joost finished with a .239 career average, 134 home runs, and 601 RBIs in 1,575 games.

Career Statistics:

• 17 seasons (1936-1955)
• 1,339 hits
• 1,043 walks (.361 on-base percentage)
• .960 fielding percentage

After he stopped playing, Joost managed the Athletics briefly in 1954. He was the third and last manager in the team’s 54-year Philadelphia history before they moved to Kansas City.

Position and Playing Style

Eddie Joost made his name as a defensive shortstop who mixed solid fielding with surprising pop at the plate. He took his time at bat, drawing walks and getting on base even if he didn’t always hit for average.

Shortstop Skills and Defensive Achievements

Joost stood out as a defensive player at shortstop during his 17 years in the majors. His fielding peaked with the Philadelphia Athletics from 1947 to 1954.

From 1949 to 1951, the Athletics infield with Joost pulled off something wild. They turned over 200 double plays in three straight seasons, a record that still stands in MLB history.

In 1949, Joost and his infielders set the all-time single-season record with 217 double plays. Nobody’s topped that yet.

Back in 1941 with Cincinnati, Joost showed his range by fielding 19 balls at shortstop in one game. He finished with 9 putouts and 10 assists that day.

His defense helped the Athletics bounce back in the late 1940s. The team played above .500 for three straight years from 1947 to 1949.

Offensive Performance and Batting Approach

Joost brought some real power for a shortstop, even if his average wasn’t great. He finished with a .239 batting average over 17 seasons, but he hit 134 home runs and knocked in 601 RBI.

For a middle infielder in the ’40s and ’50s, those power numbers stood out. He twice hit over 20 home runs in a season for the A’s. His best year at the plate came in 1951, when he batted .289.

He held the A’s record for most home runs by a shortstop, both in a single season and over his career, until Miguel Tejada broke those marks in 2002.

Deciding to wear glasses on the field made a real difference for Joost’s hitting. After talking it over with Connie Mack, he started wearing them during games, and his performance improved.

On-Base Percentage and Plate Discipline

Joost didn’t just swing away—he knew how to work a count. His patience at the plate gave him a career on-base percentage of .361, which was way above average for his time.

He drew 100 or more walks in six straight seasons, showing he could force pitchers to come to him. His discipline at the plate became a big part of his offensive value.

His best year for getting on base came in 1949. That season, he posted a .429 on-base percentage, hit 23 homers, scored 128 runs, and walked 149 times.

Joost’s mix of power and patience made him valuable even without a high batting average. Drawing walks kept innings alive and gave his teammates more chances to score.

Career Highlights and Notable Achievements

Eddie Joost picked up two All-Star nods and played a key part in Cincinnati’s 1940 World Series win. One of his most memorable feats? He set a major league record for chances handled by a shortstop in a single game.

All-Star Selections and Awards

Joost picked up two All-Star selections over his 17-year career, a nod to his sharp defense and knack for getting on base. Even with a pretty low batting average, people noticed what he brought to the table.

The Philadelphia Athletics saw enough in his leadership to make him their final manager before the team packed up for Kansas City. That put him in rare company, only the third manager in the Athletics’ 54 years in Philly.

He mixed patience at the plate with steady defense, and folks around the league respected that. Joost drew plenty of walks, which made up for his .239 career batting average and bumped his on-base percentage up to .361.

World Series Participation

Joost played in the 1940 World Series with the Cincinnati Reds, helping them beat the Detroit Tigers in seven games. He started all seven games at second base after Lonny Frey broke his toe in a water cooler mishap.

During the Series, Joost went 5-for-25 and drove in two runs. He knocked in the Reds’ first run in Game Two, which ended up a 5-3 win and gave Cincinnati a boost.

Joost had missed the 1939 World Series roster when the Yankees swept the Reds. In 1940, he showed he belonged on the sport’s biggest stage.

Record-Setting Moments

On May 7, 1941, Joost tied a major league record by handling 19 chances at shortstop in a single game. That day, his defense was on full display.

He hit his first major league home run on June 17, 1940, off BoomBoom Beck of the Phillies. His teammates stuck to tradition and ignored him, so Joost clapped for himself when he got back to the dugout.

In 1947, Joost led the American League with 24 sacrifice hits for the Philadelphia Athletics. That number was more than double what he’d managed in any other season and showed off his solid fundamentals.

Managerial Roles and Leadership

Eddie Joost moved from player to manager during his last years with the Philadelphia Athletics, stepping in as the last manager before the team left for Kansas City. He kept his baseball career going in the minors with the San Francisco Seals.

Philadelphia Athletics Player-Manager

Joost took over as manager of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1954, replacing Jimmy Dykes mid-season. He pulled double duty as player and manager, which was still pretty common back then and let veterans pass on their wisdom.

Managing the Athletics turned out to be tough. The team struggled under his watch, and Joost’s record wasn’t great. The franchise was in a rough patch, and money problems didn’t help.

Joost became the third manager in the Athletics’ long Philadelphia run. More notably, he was the last one before the franchise left for Kansas City after 1954.

As a manager, Joost stayed true to his playing days—strong-willed and direct with his players. Sometimes that approach created friction with guys like Casey Stengel.

Post-Playing Career in Management

After he finished playing in 1955, Joost managed in the minors with the San Francisco Seals in 1956. Going back to his hometown team let him stay close to baseball as he wound down his playing days.

He ended up with a managerial record of 51 wins and 103 losses between the Athletics and the Seals. That record reflected the tough spots he walked into with both teams.

The Seals job felt right for Joost. He’d started out with the Mission Reds in the Pacific Coast League, so coming back to West Coast baseball felt like coming home.

After that short stint managing, Joost stepped away from baseball altogether. He switched gears and sold cars, wrapping up a baseball journey that started when he signed with the Mission Reds at just 16.

Personal Life, Retirement, and Legacy

Edwin David Joost balanced his family life with baseball, marrying his high school sweetheart Alice Bernard in 1937. They raised four sons after losing their first child to leukemia.

He spent his post-baseball years quietly in California. Joost lived there until he passed away in 2011 at 94, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable defender who fought through early setbacks.

Life After Baseball

Joost retired from pro baseball in 1955 after 17 seasons in the majors. He and Alice, whom he’d met at Mission High School, settled in Fair Oaks, California.

Early on, they faced heartbreak when their first son, Edwin Jr., died of leukemia in 1941. That loss hit during Joost’s Reds days and made him want to leave the team.

Family Life:

• Wife: Alice Bernard (married 1937)
• Sons: David, Dennis, Donald, and Dean
• Lost first son Edwin Jr. to leukemia in 1941

Joost kept a low profile after baseball. Sometimes he did interviews, sharing stories about legends like Connie Mack and Casey Stengel.

His German-Dutch roots came from his father Henry, an auto mechanic and semipro catcher. The family struggled during the Great Depression, and Joost once said they “weren’t destitute, but it was close to it.”

Honors and Recognition

Even with a modest .239 batting average, Joost got noticed for his defense and ability to get on base. He made two All-Star teams, a testament to his all-around game.

His .361 on-base percentage stood out for his era. Joost drew over 1,000 walks, showing patience and baseball smarts.

Career Highlights:

• Two-time All-Star
• 1940 World Series champ with Cincinnati Reds
• Last manager in Philadelphia Athletics history (1954)
• Career .361 on-base percentage

Joost’s 1954 stint as the Athletics’ manager gave him a unique place in team history as their third and final skipper in Philadelphia. The team finished last and lost over 100 games, but that chapter still mattered.

People respected his defense throughout his career, even when some doubted he’d make it because of his size and stamina.

Lasting Impact on the Sport

Joost’s career really highlighted how patience and persistence matter in baseball. He worked walks and found ways to get on base, proving you don’t have to be a heavy hitter to help your team.

Players who struggled early in their careers often saw themselves in his story. Manager Chuck Dressen once told Joost that he’d never play in the majors, but Joost didn’t give up.

He bounced between teams and dealt with personal setbacks, yet he carved out a spot as a reliable shortstop.

When World War II hit, Joost missed the entire 1944 season. The war effort kept him in a San Francisco meat-packing plant instead of the military.

Legacy Elements:

• Proved value of high on-base percentage
• Overcame early career adversity
• Demonstrated importance of defensive skills
• Historical significance as final Athletics manager

Joost played from 1936 to 1955, covering both the pre-war and post-war chapters of baseball. He stuck around for 17 seasons, and while he never became a star, he showed just how much role players matter to a team’s success.

He passed away on April 12, 2011, at 94. Joost saw the game transform, from the tough Depression years right up through the early days of the modern era.