Baseball History: 10 best players who never made the Majors
By David Hill
Joe Bauman – First Base
Before Barry Bonds came around, Joe Bauman was the single season home run leader in professional baseball.
It took a bit of time for Bauman to become the minor league legend he would be. He hit only three homers in 1941 as a part of the Brooklyn Dodgers organization before missing four seasons due to World War Two. However, when he returned, he came back with a vengeance, belting 48 homers in the West Texas-New Mexico League. He then signed with the Atlanta Braves, spending two seasons in their organization, yet only having one game at the AAA level.
After missing four more years, Bauman returned to professional baseball as a 30 year old in 1952. Playing in the independent Longhorn League, he became a legend with the Artesia Drillers, hitting a combined 103 homers in the two seasons he spent there. Moving on to the Roswell Rockets, Bauman put together a season for the ages. He produced a .400/.535/.916 batting line, belting 72 homers and driving in 224 runs. He also capped the season off in a fitting manner, hitting three homers in his final game.
Given the caliber of the leagues that Bauman played in, it is natural to be skeptical of his performance. However, he did hit 337 homers in nine season. His power was certainly legitimate. While it is questionable as to how well it would have translated to the majors, it seems incredible that he was never given a longer look in affiliated ball.
These days, the legend of Joe Bauman lives on with named in his honor, handed to the top home run hitter in the minors. That player also receives a check for $200 for each home run hit, which can be a solid bonus.