Joseph John Kirrene (October 4, 1931 – October 19, 2016)^[1] was an American professional baseball player. A native of San Francisco, California, a third baseman, appeared in ten Major League games for the Chicago White Sox during late-season trials in 1950 and 1954.^[2] Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 195 pounds (88 kg), he threw and batted right-handed.

Kirrene signed with the White Sox in 1950 and spent his first pro season in the middle levels of minor league baseball before his autumn call-up. On October 1, 1950, the regular season's final day, he started at third base in the second game of a double-header against left-hander Stubby Overmire of the St. Louis Browns. Kirrene had one single in four at bats and was errorless in the field.^[3] Kirrene then was out of baseball for three seasons, and served in the military during the Korean War. Returning to the game in 1954, he led the Class A Western League in batting average (.343) and was selected as the third baseman on the league's all-star team.^[4]

That September he received his final Major League trial. This time, he appeared in nine games for the ChiSox, six as the starting third baseman, and had three multi-hit games. He drove in four runs and registered his only extra-base hit, a double off Bob Porterfield of the Washington Senators, on September 8, 1954.^[5] In 33 total big-league plate appearances, Kirrene had eight hits and five bases on balls, with four runs scored. He also was credited a stolen base. He played in the higher minors—including both teams in his native San Francisco Bay Area—in 1955–56 before leaving pro baseball.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
• Joe Kirrene at Find a Grave