#109) JOE MOOCK

Joe Moock, Jr. was selected by the New York Mets organization in the third round of the free agent draft on June 8, 1965. He was the first player ever selected by a major league team from Louisiana State University. Moock posted an impressive .294 batting average in the New York Penn League and received a late season call-up to New York in 1967. He made his major league debut, as a New York Met, at Wrigley Field facing the Chicago Cubs on September 1, 1967. Joe struck out as a pinch-hitter that afternoon. Moock did later help the Mets to record back to back wins against the Dodgers with a key hit in each game. He would play in a total of 13 games before being returned to the minor leagues in 1968. After a tough year in Double-A Memphis he left the Mets and moved into the Washington Senators organization.

The Moocks are a baseball family. Joe Moock, Sr. was a member of the LSU baseball team in the 1940s. Pat Moock, (brother of Joe, Jr.) was the winning pitcher in LSU's first NCAA tournament victory. Chris Moock (son of Joe, Jr.) was the third baseman who made the throw to get the final out in LSU's first National Championship in 1991.

After his active baseball career Joe Moock became a baseball and football coach at Central High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for 22 years. "I had the opportunity to play a lot of different positions." Moock told writer, Mark Simon, "Every one, including catcher. So I was conscious of how to teach the game."

Joe Moock signed his card in the set from an autograph request sent to his home on July 16, 2009.