Joe Hague – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Joe Hague wrapped up his professional baseball career in 1973. That marked the end of a six-season run through Major League Baseball that started with high hopes but eventually fizzled out. The left-handed first baseman and outfielder played his last game on June 2, 1973, for the Cincinnati Reds against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He went hitless in his only at-bat, then landed on waivers and got released the next year.

Hague’s stats tell the story of a guy who flashed potential but never quite hit the heights people expected. He finished with a .239 batting average, 40 home runs, and 163 RBIs over 430 games with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. His best year was 1970, when he batted .271 with 14 home runs and 68 RBIs. But injuries and up-and-down performance ended what had looked like a promising career.

From his standout college days at the University of Texas to his struggles at the end, Hague’s path through pro baseball shows both the good and the bad that shaped that era. His story has it all: impressive amateur feats, early professional success, and the career-ending hand injury that put him on the disabled list in June 1973.

Overview of Joe Hague’s Baseball Career

Joe Hague played in Major League Baseball for six seasons, from 1968 to 1973. He put up a .239 batting average, 40 home runs, and 163 RBIs in 430 games.

He split his time between first base and the outfield, playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds.

Early MLB Debut and Background

Joe Hague made his big league debut on September 19, 1968, with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was 24 years old and faced the San Francisco Giants, drawing a walk and scoring a run.

The next day, Hague picked up his first MLB hit against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That first hit? A home run. Not bad at all.

Before making it to the majors, Hague played baseball at the University of Texas at Austin. In 1965, the Associated Press called him a “top college prospect.” He actually started out playing football as a tight end and defensive end but switched to baseball after just one season.

Hague signed with the St. Louis Cardinals on August 31, 1965. He got a signing bonus over $10,000, which was a decent chunk back then. He spent time working his way up in the minors with teams like the Cedar Rapids Cardinals, Arkansas Travelers, and Tulsa Oilers before finally getting the call to the majors.

Primary Positions Played

Hague spent his MLB career playing both first base and outfield. He appeared in 232 games at first and 272 in the outfield over six years.

His ability to handle multiple positions made him useful for his teams. At first base, he showed solid fielding and didn’t make many errors. In the outfield, he mostly played right field when needed.

The Cardinals relied on Hague’s flexibility quite a bit. Manager Red Schoendienst gave him the starting first baseman job in 1970 but also planned to use him in right field.

Career Defensive Stats:

• First Base: 232 games
• Outfield: 272 games
• Total Games: 430

He had his best defensive season in 1970, playing 82 games at first base and making just four errors in 724 chances. That year, he also played 52 games in the outfield and made only one error in 81 chances.

Teams Represented: St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds

Hague spent most of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1968 to 1972. He played in 334 games for the Cardinals, batting .242 with 33 home runs and 142 RBIs.

His top season was 1970, when he hit .271 with 14 home runs and 68 RBIs in 139 games. Cardinals manager Red Schoendienst made him the starting first baseman that year.

On May 19, 1972, the Cardinals traded Hague to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Bernie Carbo. That trade changed the direction of his career.

With the Reds, Hague played 96 games between 1972 and 1973. He hit .224 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs.

Hague got a taste of postseason play with the Reds in 1972. He appeared in the National League Championship Series, drawing two walks in one at-bat. He also played three games in the 1972 World Series but went hitless in three at-bats.

His last MLB game happened on June 2, 1973, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds released him on March 28, 1974, which brought his professional baseball career to a close.

Key Seasons and Career Milestones

Joe Hague peaked during the 1970 and 1971 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He became a regular contributor, and then his career took a turn in 1972 when he joined the Cincinnati Reds. That move led to a World Series appearance.

Full-Time Role with the St. Louis Cardinals

The 1970 season was Hague’s breakout year with the Cardinals. Manager Red Schoendienst handed him the starting first baseman job, giving Hague his first real shot at regular playing time.

Hague responded with his best numbers. He batted .271 with 58 runs, 122 hits, and 68 RBIs in 139 games. He played 82 games at first base and 52 in the outfield.

On May 29, 1970, Hague had a huge night against the New York Mets. He racked up four hits and drove in five runs as the Cardinals won 9-2.

The 1971 season saw Hague keep his role, though his batting average dropped to .226. He set a career high with 16 home runs and added 54 RBIs. His power was on display June 5, when he hit two home runs against the Cincinnati Reds to help the Cardinals win 5-3.

Trade to Cincinnati Reds and World Series Appearance

On May 19, 1972, the Cardinals traded Hague to the Cincinnati Reds for Bernie Carbo. That trade shifted Hague’s career.

The Reds brought Hague in hoping he could help them win a championship. He batted .246 with 17 runs and 34 hits in 69 games that season.

Hague’s biggest career highlight came during the 1972 postseason. He played in the National League Championship Series, drawing two walks in one at-bat. He also appeared in three games of the 1972 World Series, which was the high point of his pro career.

His final season in 1973 got cut short by injury. A dislocated bone in his right hand landed him on the disabled list on June 9. He managed just 19 games with the Reds, batting .152 before his release in March 1974.

Statistical Highlights and Playing Style

Joe Hague played six years in the majors from 1968 to 1973, putting up a .239 batting average with 40 home runs and 163 RBIs in 430 games. He could draw walks and had some power, making him a useful player—even if his batting average wasn’t exactly eye-popping for the low-offense era of the late ’60s and early ’70s.

Batting Average and On Base Percentage

Hague’s career batting average was .239, but that only tells part of the story. His best season came in 1970, when he hit .271 over 139 games with the Cardinals. That was his only season above .250 and it was his most productive year.

His on-base percentage for his career was .336, showing his plate discipline. That’s 97 points higher than his batting average, which means Hague was good at working walks and getting on base.

In 1970, Hague posted a .358 on-base percentage to go with his .271 average. That combo helped him contribute 1.0 WAR that season. The rest of his years, he kept his on-base skills even when his batting average dropped.

Power Numbers: Home Runs and Extra-Base Hits

Hague hit 40 home runs during his six years in the majors. His best power year was 1971, when he hit 16 home runs in 129 games. He also hit 14 home runs in 1970, which was his most complete season.

He notched 41 doubles and 10 triples overall. In 1970, he had 16 doubles and 4 triples along with his 14 home runs, giving him 34 extra-base hits that year.

Career Power Numbers:

• Home runs: 40
• Doubles: 41
• Triples: 10
• Total extra-base hits: 91

His .391 career slugging percentage, combined with his on-base abilities, gave him a .727 OPS—slightly above average for that era.

Patience at the Plate: Walks

Hague drew 177 walks and struck out 222 times in his career. That’s pretty solid plate discipline for a guy with some pop. His walk rate helped keep his on-base percentage up even when his average dipped.

His best year for walks was 1970, when he drew 63 in 524 plate appearances—a 12.0% walk rate. In 1971, he walked 58 times in 443 plate appearances.

In 1972, split between St. Louis and Cincinnati, Hague walked 37 times in 255 plate appearances. He consistently worked counts and took his walks, which helped him stay valuable even when his batting average sank below .230.

Performance in 1973 and Retirement

Joe Hague’s last big league season in 1973 was short—just 19 games before his career ended on June 2. His batting average took a nosedive during this stretch, closing out his six-year MLB run on a tough note.

Final MLB Games and Key Stats in 1973

Joe Hague played only 19 games in 1973 with the Cincinnati Reds. His last game came on June 2, 1973, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he had one at-bat and no hits.

The final season stats weren’t pretty. Hague managed just 5 hits in 33 at-bats, ending up with a .152 batting average. That was a big drop from his earlier years.

His numbers showed a big split between home and road games. At home, he played 9 games with 9 at-bats and hit .333 with 3 hits. On the road, he struggled badly—10 games, 24 at-bats, and just a .083 average with only 2 hits.

Key 1973 Stats:

• Games: 19
• At-bats: 33
• Hits: 5
• Batting average: .152
• RBIs: 1
• Runs scored: 2

Transition Out of Professional Baseball

After his last game in June 1973, Hague retired from Major League Baseball at age 29. He finished his career with a .239 batting average over 430 games played from 1968 to 1973.

That marked the end of an eight-year professional run, including six years in the majors. Hague played for both the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds during his MLB days.

He totaled 286 hits in 1,195 at-bats, along with 40 home runs and 163 RBIs. While that last season was rough, Hague had been a reliable player at his peak in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

He retired during what could have been prime years for many players, but with his performance slipping and playing time shrinking, he decided to step away from pro baseball.

Early Life and Amateur Achievements

Joe Hague became one of the top college baseball prospects in the country at the University of Texas at Austin. His amateur career peaked with a standout summer performance that led to his signing with the St. Louis Cardinals.

High School and Collegiate Baseball Success

Joe Hague went to Bel Air High School in El Paso, Texas, where he really showed off his athletic range. He played football, baseball, and basketball. Later on, Hague admitted he only played basketball because it helped his coordination.

After high school, the Houston Astros tried to sign Hague, but nothing came of it. He signed up at the University of Texas at Austin and started out playing both football and baseball.

Hague took on tight end and defensive end roles for the football team. After just one season, he decided to quit football and focus on baseball instead.

At UT Austin, Hague made a name for himself right away. The Associated Press even called him a “top college prospect” in 1965.

He could really hit, leading the country in doubles, home runs, and RBIs by April 11, 1965. People expected Hague to get picked in the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft.

Despite all the buzz, he didn’t get drafted that year.

Central Illinois Collegiate League Triple Crown

Since he went undrafted, Hague spent the summer of 1965 playing for Galesburg in the Central Illinois Collegiate League. That summer, he absolutely shined for the team and grabbed the attention of professional scouts.

His performance that summer really changed the course of his amateur career. On August 31, 1965, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The signing bonus he got topped $10,000, which was a big deal back then.

Even after signing, Hague went back to UT Austin to finish his education. He held off on starting his pro career until the next year, showing he was serious about getting his degree before chasing baseball full-time.

Post-Retirement and Legacy

A hand injury in 1973 abruptly ended Joe Hague’s baseball career, cutting short a major league run that lasted from 1968 to 1973. After that, he mostly stayed out of the public eye.

Life After Major League Baseball

Once his playing days were over in 1973, Joe Hague chose to step away from the public spotlight. He didn’t follow the usual route into coaching, broadcasting, or front office jobs like a lot of former players do.

Instead, he lived quietly, away from baseball, until his death on November 5, 1994, at age 50. Not much is known about how he spent his later years.

Looking at Hague’s stats, you see a player who had potential but ran into the usual challenges of his era. He wrapped up his career with a .239 batting average, 40 home runs, and 163 RBIs in 430 games with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds.

Recognition and Historical Records

Joe Hague’s legacy sticks around thanks to all the detailed baseball databases and stats out there. Modern baseball analysis keeps giving us fresh takes on what he brought to the game back in his day.

Retrosheet and other historical baseball groups have kept careful records of Hague’s performance. These databases let researchers and fans dig into his career with all the modern stats tools.

You can still find his playing stats on various baseball reference sites:

• Career batting average: .239
• Home runs: 40
• RBIs: 163
• Games played: 430

Some baseball historians point out that Hague’s knack for drawing walks and hitting for power might actually get more appreciation in today’s game, compared to the 1970s when everyone cared so much about batting average. Kind of makes you wonder how he’d be viewed if he played now, right?