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Writer's pictureMaine Baseball HOF

Joyce Richard F. (1977)


Dick Joyce autographed card

From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Joyce_(baseball)


Richard Edward Joyce (November 18, 1943 – January 23, 2007) was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball during the 1965 season. Listed at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 225 pounds (102 kg), Joyce batted and threw left-handed. He was signed by the Kansas City Athletics out of the College of the Holy Cross.


A native of Portland, Maine, Joyce was a basketball and baseball star at Cheverus High School. In 1961, after his graduation, the Boston Red Sox offered him a $100,000 signing bonus – an astounding figure at the time – but he rejected it down to attend Holy Cross. He appeared in the 1962 and 1963 College World Series, alongside future entrepreneur John Peterman, and also was a member of the baseball team that played in the 1964 Olympics.


In December 1964, Joyce signed with the Athletics for a reported $40,000. He started his professional career in 1965 with the Double-A Birmingham Barons and joined the big team late in the season. He posted a 0–1 record with a 2.77 ERA in five games, including three starts, seven strikeouts and four walks in 13.0 innings pitched.


After that, Joyce developed arm troubles and never pitched again. Following his playing retirement, he developed a long career as an IBM executive.



Dick Joyce Holy Cross



Joyce Richard F. (77)

The son of Joseph Jabber Joyce and Alice Nevers Rich, Dick was born in Portland on Nov. 18, 1943. He began his baseball career as a pitcher in Portland's Little League where his father, a pitching legend in his own right, was his first coach. He gained local and national recognition pitching for the Andrews Post Junior Legion and Cheverus High School where he was also an outstanding basketball player. Dick went on to earn a BA degree in English from Holy Cross College, graduating cum laude in the class of 1965.

The Sept. 15, 1961 issue of Time magazine highlighted Dick's surprising decision to turn down a six-figure bonus offer from the Boston Red Sox, choosing instead to accept a full academic scholarship to Holy Cross College where in 1963 he pitched in the College World Series in Omaha. In 1964 he was a member of the United States Baseball Federation team that toured Japan during the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

In December 1964, Dick signed a contract with the Kansas City A's where his teammates included Sal Bando, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter and the fabled Satchel Paige.

He had been inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, Cheverus Hall of Fame and Holy Cross Hall of Fame.


FROM: The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald ~


By Tom Chard, Staff Writer January 23, 2007

Dick Joyce, one of Cheverus High's all-time great athletes and

a member of its Hall of Fame, died Tuesday in North Carolina.


Joyce, an overpowering pitcher who made it to the major leagues,

lived with his wife, Jeanne, in Cary, N.C.


Joyce, 63, suffered from diabetes and heart problems, and

underwent two major heart surgeries since October.


In 1961, the Boston Red Sox offered Joyce, who also pitched

for Andrews Post in Portland, a $100,000 signing bonus -- an

astounding figure at the time.


Joyce turned it down, opting to attend Holy Cross College in

Worcester, Mass. He never regretted it.


In a 1961 story in the Press Herald, Joyce said: "I'd like to get

as much education as possible and I probably never would

finish college if I decided to try baseball right now."


Three years later, Joyce, who retired last August after a long

career as an IBM executive, signed just before Christmas with

the Kansas City Athletics for a reported $40,000.


After a minor-league stint in Birmingham, Ala., where he

played with future Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Rollie

Fingers, Joyce was brought to the majors in 1965.


He pitched 13 innings in the majors and had an 0-1 record.


On Sept. 19, 1965, he started at Fenway Park against the

Red Sox. In the crowd of 10,854 that day were numerous

Portland friends and former Holy Cross teammates.


But Joyce lasted only a third of an inning. It was his last

appearance in the major leagues. He developed arm trouble

in 1967 and retired.


Joyce had pitched in four other big-league games and started

the game that shortstop Bert Campaneris played all nine

positions.


At Holy Cross, Joyce pitched in the 1962 College World

Series. He was beaten by Missouri 4-2 but struck out 14. He

had a 20-5 college career record.


At Cheverus, he won three straight Telegram League titles,

including the 1961 team that went 16-0 in the era before

state playoffs. His three-year record was 22-8 and his

American Legion record was 38-5.


At 6-foot-5 and more than 200 pounds, Joyce was imposing.

In an era before radar guns, his fastball was likely 92-93 mph.


"I've never seen anyone better around here," said Pat Feury,

a Cheverus teammate who has been involved in local baseball

for more than 50 years.


"I remember a Legion game against Falmouth when he struck

out 25 batters in nine innings. The first 11 batters he faced

didn't even touch the ball."


"Dick had a very good fastball but his curve was devastating.

He also had pinpoint control. With Dick and Joe Cloutier pitching

for us, we never expected to lose a game."


"Dick's matchups with Eddie Phillips of Deering were events. It

might have been the only time two Maine high school pitchers

opposed each other who later made it to the big leagues."

Phillips pitched briefly for the Red Sox in 1970.


In 1960, Andrews Post went 35-0, meaning from June to June,

Joyce's teams were 51-0. Joyce, who also started on Cheverus'

1961 state title basketball team, was inducted into the school's

Hall of Fame in 2004.


He was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977,

joining his dad, Jabber Joyce [1], also a pitching legend.


Dick Joyce is also a member of the Holy Cross Hall of Fame.


"Our school feels honored to be a part of his life," said Cheverus

Athletic Director Gary Hoyt.


"We've very proud of the fact that Dick became such an

accomplished athlete, family man and community leader. His

loyalty to Cheverus and to the Greater Portland community,

although he moved away, was always present in his life and

everything he did. Dick was one of our very first inductees into

our Hall of Fame."


A funeral Mass will be held Feb. 10 at St. Pius X, Ocean Ave,

Portland at 11 a.m. Following burial, a reception will be held at

Cheverus.

---

Photo:

http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer05/issue-

images/sum05-ath5.jpg

(w/catcher Tim Murtaugh, son of Danny)


1979 One Year Winners (#27) baseball card:

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/dick_joyce_autograph.jpg


Stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/joycedi01.shtml


His father Jabber Joyce pitched in the New York Yankees and Boston Braves farm

system.



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