Joe Lis

Joseph Anthony Lis (August 15, 1946 – October 17, 2010) was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams between the 1970 and 1977 seasons. Listed at 6' 0" (1.83 m), 175 lb. (79 k), Lis batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Somerville, New Jersey.^[1]

Lis entered the majors in 1970 with the Philadelphia Phillies, playing for them three years before joining the Minnesota Twins (1973–74), Cleveland Indians (1974–76) and Seattle Mariners (1977). Basically a first baseman during his major league career, he also played left field, right field, third base, and caught in one game.^[1]

A good power hitter in the minor leagues, Lis batted at least 33 home runs in three different seasons and was named International League Most Valuable Player in 1976, an award he shared with fellow infielders Mickey Klutts and Rich Dauer. Nevertheless, he never translated his minor league success into a full-time job in the majors. His most productive season came in 1973 with Minnesota, when he posted career numbers in homers (nine), RBI (25) and games (103) as a replacement for injured Harmon Killebrew.^[1][2]

Lis also played in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1978. He finished his baseball career with the Triple-A Champion, Evansville Triplets, in the 1979 season.^[2]

Following his playing career, Lis coached youth baseball for over 30 years, including in the Newburgh American Legion from 1984 to 2002. In 2003, he became General Manager of the Evansville Wolfepack 18-year-old travel team. He also owned and operated the Joe Lis Baseball School since 1991, and worked at James R. Pyle Insurance Agency since 1989.^[3]

Lis died from prostate cancer in Evansville, Indiana at the age of 64.^[3]

Sources

• Baseball Gauge
• Retrosheet
• SABR Biography Project
• Venezuelan Professional Baseball League