Joseph “Moon” Harris (1891-1959)

Major League Baseball Player. The outfielder-first baseman batted higher than .300 eight times while compiling a .317 lifetime batting average. He made his big-league debut in 1914, going 0 for 1 in two games for the New York Yankees. He then batted .304 in 112 games with the Cleveland Indians in 1917. He then served during World War I in 1918 and part of 1919. He batted .375 in 62 games for the Indians in 1919 but was suspended by baseball for playing with and against ineligible players in independent games. Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, however, reinstated him, and Harris was traded with outfielders George Burns and Elmer Smith on December 24, 1921 to the Boston Red Sox for first baseman Stuffy McInnis. The right-handed hitter batted .316 with 30 doubles in 1922, .335 with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 13 homers and 76 RBIs in 1923 and .301 with 36 doubles and 77 RBIs in 1924. He then was dealt to Washington on April 26, 1925 for pitcher Paul Zahniser and outfielder Roy Carlyle. He hit .313 for the pennant-winning Senators and had an outstanding World Series, batting .440 (11 for 25) with two doubles, three homers and six RBIs, but the Pittsburgh Pirates won in seven games. He hit .307 in 1926 but was sold to Pittsburgh on February 4, 1927. He batted .326 for the pennant-winning Pirates but hit just .200 (3 for 15) as the New York Yankees swept the 1927 World Series. Harris was traded with catcher Johnny Gooch to the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 8, 1928 for catcher Charlie Hargreaves. He had 201 career doubles, 64 triples, 47 homers and 517 RBIs. He was born in Coulters, Pa., and died in Renton, Pa.

Bio by: Ron Coons