Joe Neale

Joseph Hunt Neale was an American professional baseball player. Neal played 10 seasons in pro-baseball, including 4 in Major League Baseball. He both pitched, and played the outfield positions. In his four-year career, Neale had a win-loss record of 12–12 with a 4.59 earned [run average|ERA], 3 saves, and 58 strikeouts in 31 games pitched, 25 games started.

Professional career

Before playing in Major League Baseball, Neale played for the 1886 Savannah Class-B minor [league baseball|minor league] baseball team based in Savannah, Georgia. With Savannah, Neale went 3–6 with a 1.40 ERA in 9 games, all starts. With the Louisville Colonels in the majors, Neale went 0–1 with a 7.71 ERA in 1 game. The next season, Neale played the entire 1887 season with the Colonels. In 5 games, he went 1–4 with a 6.97 ERA, and 11 strikeouts.

After playing for the Colonels, Neale spent the next two seasons in the minors with the Columbus Senators of the Tri-State League, and the Springfield Senators of the Central [Interstate League]. In 1890, Neale began the season with the major league St. Louis Browns. With the Browns that season, he went 5–3 with a 3.39 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in 10 games, 9 starts. Neale spent the rest of the season in the minor leagues with the Class-A Rochester Hop Bitters, and the Class-A Lebanon Cedars. The next season, Brown again played with the Browns. On the season, he went 6–4 with a 4.24 ERA, 3 saves, and 24 strikeouts in 15 games, 11 starts. Along with Kid Nichols, and John Clarkson, Neale lead the majors in saves.

In 1892, Neale played for the Class-B New Orleans Pelicans, and the Class-B Mobile Blackbirds, both of the Southern Association. The next season, Neale played for the Canton Deubers of the Ohio-Michigan League. Neale returned to the Southern Association in 1894 with the Class-B Memphis Giants. In final season in professional baseball, 1895, Neale played for the Class-B Montgomery Grays.