# Joe Koppe > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joe_Koppe > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joe_Koppe.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Koppe > Source revision: 1278174848 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American baseball player (1930–2006)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Joe Koppe |image=Joe Koppe 1961.jpg |caption=Koppe in 1961 |position=[Shortstop](/source/Shortstop) |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date|1930|10|19}} |birth_place=[Detroit, Michigan](/source/Detroit%2C_Michigan), U.S. |death_date={{death date and age|2006|9|27|1930|10|19}} |death_place=[Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor%2C_Michigan), U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=August 9 |debutyear=1958 |debutteam=Milwaukee Braves |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 10 |finalyear=1965 |finalteam=California Angels |statleague = MLB |stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)) |stat1value=.236 |stat2label=[Home run](/source/Home_run)s |stat2value=19 |stat3label=[Runs batted in](/source/Runs_batted_in) |stat3value=141 |teams= * [Milwaukee Braves](/source/Milwaukee_Braves) ({{mlby|1958}}) * [Philadelphia Phillies](/source/Philadelphia_Phillies) ({{mlby|1959}}–{{mlby|1961}}) * [Los Angeles / California Angels](/source/Los_Angeles_Angels_of_Anaheim) ({{mlby|1961}}–{{mlby|1965}}) |highlights= *[1959 Topps All-Star Rookie Team](/source/Topps_All-Star_Rookie_Rosters) }} '''Joseph Koppe''' (October 19, 1930 – September 27, 2006), born '''Joseph Kopchia''',{{cite web|url=http://www.historicbaseball.com/players/k/koppe_joe.html|title=Joe Koppe: Shortstop played in eight seasons|date=2020|publisher=Historic Baseball|work=historicbaseball.com|accessdate=January 24, 2020}} was an [American](/source/Americans) professional [baseball](/source/baseball) [shortstop](/source/shortstop), who played in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) (MLB) for the [Milwaukee Braves](/source/Milwaukee_Braves), [Philadelphia Phillies](/source/Philadelphia_Phillies), and [Los Angeles Angels](/source/Los_Angeles_Angels).{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/koppejo01.shtml|title=Joe Koppe Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|date=2020|work=[Baseball-Reference.com](/source/Baseball-Reference.com)|accessdate=January 22, 2020}} ==Career== Koppe made his big league debut on August 9, 1958, for the Braves. He appeared in 16 games for Milwaukee in the later part of the season, but did not make an appearance when the Braves won the National League pennant and went to the [World Series](/source/World_Series). Just prior to the {{by|1959}} season, Koppe was traded to the Phillies as part of a six-player deal. Koppe came into his own in his first season in Philadelphia. He saw action in 126 [games](/source/Games_played) (113 at [shortstop](/source/shortstop)), in his true rookie season. Koppe put up a respectable offensive season, [hitting](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)) .261, with 18 [doubles](/source/Double_(baseball)), seven [triples](/source/Triple_(baseball)), and seven [home runs](/source/home_runs), while scoring 68 runs. His seven triples placed 8th in the National League (NL). Koppe injured his wrist in {{by|1960}} and missed all but 58 games. He played just 9 more games with the Phillies in {{by|1961}} and was traded to the [Los Angeles Dodgers](/source/Los_Angeles_Dodgers), who traded him again — just 12 days later — to the [St. Louis Cardinals](/source/St._Louis_Cardinals), in May, 1961. Koppe saw no playing time for the Cardinals and did not see any MLB action for a full month. He was purchased by the Angels on June 19, 1961. As an Angel, Koppe made a serious effort to return to the performance level of his rookie season. He never saw more than 375 at-bats in any season for the Angels and finished his career with the team a .236 hitter. Koppe was primarily a middle infielder, however, and was always able to contribute defensively. ==Death== Koppe died on September 27, 2006, in [Ann Arbor, Michigan](/source/Ann_Arbor%2C_Michigan), after a seven-year battle with cancer. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{baseballstats|mlb=117261|espn=23896|br=k/koppejo01|fangraphs=1007108|brm=koppe-001jos|retro=K/Pkoppj101}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Koppe, Joe}} Category:1930 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Baseball players from Detroit Category:California Angels players Category:Corpus Christi Aces players Category:Deaths from cancer in Michigan Category:Greenville Majors players Category:Los Angeles Angels players Category:Lubbock Hubbers players Category:Major League Baseball shortstops Category:Milwaukee Braves players Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Philadelphia Phillies players Category:Portland Beavers players Category:Sacramento Solons players Category:Seattle Angels players Category:Shreveport Sports players Category:Spokane Indians players Category:Wichita Braves players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joe Koppe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Koppe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Koppe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.