Joe Lonnett
was a confident, enthusiastic, and
modest man who considered himself one of the luckiest people in the
field of professional sports. He was third base coach and catching
coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, when they winning world championships. Joe downplayed the key role that his 30 years in baseball played in the Pirates' success. His long experience and keen judgment
helped him preside over the vital running game of the Bucs. And
his experience as a catcher in both the major and minor leagues has
helped in the development of the Pirates’ two outstanding young
catchers, Ed Ott and Steve Nicosia. The Beaver Falls native began
his professional baseball career in 1947 with a Cincinnati Reds farm
club and was in the Philadelphia Phillies system from 1948 to 1970
as a minor league player and manager and as a catcher with the
Phillies in the 1958-1959 seasons, and also scouted for the Phillies
from 1963 to 1970. Joe was with Manager Chuck Tanner since 1971
with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Pittsburgh
Pirates.
Joe Lonnett
was a confident, enthusiastic, and
modest man who considered himself one of the luckiest people in the
field of professional sports. He was third base coach and catching
coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, when they winning world championships. Joe downplayed the key role that his 30 years in baseball played in the Pirates' success. His long experience and keen judgment
helped him preside over the vital running game of the Bucs. And
his experience as a catcher in both the major and minor leagues has
helped in the development of the Pirates’ two outstanding young
catchers, Ed Ott and Steve Nicosia. The Beaver Falls native began
his professional baseball career in 1947 with a Cincinnati Reds farm
club and was in the Philadelphia Phillies system from 1948 to 1970
as a minor league player and manager and as a catcher with the
Phillies in the 1958-1959 seasons, and also scouted for the Phillies
from 1963 to 1970. Joe was with Manager Chuck Tanner since 1971
with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Pittsburgh
Pirates.