Joe Rudi is best remembered for his amazing catch in the 1972 World Series and his part in a crazy scheme by Charlie Finley to sweep his stars out of Oakland. Rudi was never a superstar, but he was an All-Star and a fine ballplayer who hit 179 homers and won three Gold Gloves in a 16-year career.
Teams Joe Rudi Played For
Kansas City Athletics (1967) Oakland Athletics (1968-1976) California Angels (1977-1980) Boston Red Sox (1981) Oakland Athletics (1982)
Best Season: 1972 If the MVP award were decided on the strength of personality, Rudi would have won it in 1972. Instead he finished a very distant second to Dick Allen, who was a far better hitter.
Born Joseph Oden Rudi was born on September 7, 1946, in Modesto, CA.
Post-Season Appearances
1971 American League Championship Series
1972 American League Championship Series
1972 World Series
1973 American League Championship Series
1973 World Series
1974 American League Championship Series
1974 World Series
1975 American League Championship Series
Awards and Honors
1974 AL Gold Glove
1975 AL Gold Glove
1976 AL Gold Glove
Hitting Streaks
17 games (1972)
Transactions In the 1980 off-season, after bungling their contracts, the Red Sox were in real danger of losing both Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk, two of their best players. Quickly, the Sox sent Lynn and pitcher Steve Renko to the California Angels for Rudi, Frank Tanana and a prospect named Jim Dorsey. In retrospect this was a grand gesture by the Angels, who may have been able to sign Lynn if they had waited for the result of a case pending over the matter. Rudi had failed to hit better than .264 in any of his injury-riddled seasons in Anaheim, so the Halos weren't giving up much. Lynn spent four years in California, three of them productive. He nearly won the 1982 ALCS by himself, hitting .611 with 11 hits in the five game loss to the Brewers. Rudi hit .180 for the Red Sox in 1981 and finished his abysmal 30-somethings by hitting .212 with the A's in '82.
All-Star Selections
1972 AL
1974 AL
1975 AL
Replaced Felipe Alou
Replaced By Brian Downing
Best Strength as a Player Defensive range.
Largest Weakness as a Player Inability to draw walks.
