Joe Christopher: Member of Original 1962 Mets, dead at 87

American former professional baseball player Joe Christopher passed away on October 3, 2023, at his residence in Edgewood, Maryland. He was aged 87.

Joe had played baseball as an outfielder in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for seven seasons.

All through his career, he played for only three teams – the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New York Mets, and the Boston Red Sox, and winning the World Series Championship in 1960.

Joe spent three seasons with the New York Mets, after three seasons with the Pirates.

The Mets had “selected him from the Pirates with the fifth pick of the 1961 MLB expansion draft.”

With the Mets, he “batted .300, with 16 home runs, 76 runs batted in (RBI), 78 runs, 163 hits, 26 doubles, and eight triples, in 154 games.”

Joe had also scored two triples, a double, and a home run in a game.

The Mets later traded him to the Boston Red Sox, where he played until retirement in 1966.

Joe additionally played winter baseball in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, for the Senadores de San Juan, Indios de Mayaguez, and Criollos de Caguas.

Joe subsequently played in the PRWL, and became a 4-time stolen base leader, winning many championships with Mayaguez and Caguas.

Joe had retired with a career record of .260 batting average, 29 home runs and 224 runs batted in.