Milwaukee’s Best, Part 5: The 50 Best To Play For Braves, Brewers: 10-1

Joe Adcock, shown on a 1957 poster.

10. Joe Adcock, 1B

Braves 1953-62

Adcock came to the Milwaukee Braves just before they began their first season in Beer City, coming to the club in February 1953 as part of a four-team trade in which Milwaukee acquired Adcock from the Cincinnati Reds, outfielder Jim Pendleton from the Brooklyn Dodgers and cash from the Philadelphia Phillies and sent first baseman Earl Torgeson to the Phillies and cash to the Reds.

Adcock went on to make two All-Star appearances with the Braves, both in 1960, but was one of the top sluggers in the National League during his 10 seasons in Milwaukee. He was also eighth in the Most Valuable Player voting in 1954.

In 1956, Adcock slugged 38 homers and drove in 103 runs and in 1961, he totaled 35 homers and 108 RBI.

Adcock finished in the top 10 in batting average twice, in slugging four times, in doubles once, in home runs five times and in RBI three times during his 10 seasons with the Braves.

Adcock was 3-for-15 in five games in the 1957 World Series for Milwaukee and was 4-for-13 playing in four games in 1958.

In November 1962, Adcock was dealt with left-hander Jack Curtis to the Cleveland Indians for right-hander Frank Funk, outfielder Don Dillard and a player to be named later, which turned out to be outfielder Ty Cline in March 1963.

Signed by the Reds in the spring of 1947 as an amateur free agent out of LSU, Adcock later played for the Los Angeles/California Angels for three seasons before retiring after he was released in October 1966.

Adcock managed the Indians to an eighth-place finish in 1967 and would manage the Seattle Angels of the Pacific Coast League in 1968 before leaving baseball to breed thoroughbred racehorses full-time.

Adcock died in May 1999 in his hometown of Coushatta, La., at the age of 71.

Here are Adcock’s statistics from his 10 seasons with the Braves:

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/22/2015.

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