New York Yankees' Joe Pepitone Hits Two Home Runs In One Inning

On May 23, 1962, Joe Pepitone becomes the second New York Yankees player ever to hit two home runs in one inning, joining non-other than the Yankee Clipper, and Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio.

Joe Pepitone in 1971.

Pepitone is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder that played the bulk of his career for the New York Yankees. He also played several seasons with the Chicago Cubs and had short stints with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves.

During his time with the Yankees, Pepitone was thrice named to play in the All-Star Game and also won three Golden Glove awards. His fame was sufficient for him to become something of a cultural icon.

In June 1973, Pepitone accepted an offer of $70,000 ($362,016 today) a year to play for the Yakult Atoms, a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. While in Japan, he hit .163 with one home run and two RBIs in 14 games played.

According to an edition of Total Baseball, Pepitone spent his days in Japan skipping games for claimed injuries only to be at night in discos, behavior that led the Japanese to adopt his name into their vernacular—as a word meaning "goof off".

Joe Pepitone (right) at Yankees stadium in New York in the late 2000s.

After baseball in the late 1970s, Pepitone played for the New Jersey Statesmen in the American Professional Slow Pitch League (APSPL), one of three professional softball leagues active during this period.

Pepitone would also serve the front office of the North American Softball League (NASL) for their only season in 1980.

In June 1982, Pepitone was hired as a batting coach with the Yankees, but was replaced by Lou Piniella later in the season.

In the late 1990s, Pepitone was given a job in the Yankees' front office.

He currently spends his time signing autographs and baseball memorabilia at autograph shows, and working in a public relations capacity for the Yankees.