Joe Pepitone, Rowdy Star When the Yankees Pale, Dies at 82

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He performed some skilled softball, was within the bar enterprise for a time and within the early Nineteen Eighties labored briefly for the Yankees as a hitting coach. In 1985, he was using in a automotive with two different folks when the police stopped them for working a purple gentle and located medication — cocaine, heroin and quaaludes — and a loaded handgun within the automotive.

Pepitone was convicted on misdemeanor counts of possession of medication and drug paraphernalia and served about half of a six-month sentence.

“I discover it notably unhappy,” the decide, appearing Justice Allan Marrus of State Supreme Court docket, instructed him at his sentencing, “when somebody who graced New York in Yankee pinstripes will now must serve his time with the New York Division of Correction of their jail stripes.”

Pepitone later labored in public relations for the Yankees and principally stayed out of hassle, although he did plead responsible to drunken driving after dropping management of his automotive within the Midtown Tunnel in 1995. He was married and divorced 3 times.

Along with his youngsters Invoice and Cara, Pepitone is survived by one other son, Joseph Jr.; two extra daughters, Eileen and Lisa; two brothers, Vincent and William; a number of grandchildren; and not less than one great-grandchild. He had lately moved from Lengthy Island to Kansas Metropolis to be nearer to Cara.

Nonetheless, he remained a vivid and principally fond reminiscence for Yankee followers of a sure classic. His identify was invoked on a wide range of tv exhibits, together with “The Golden Ladies,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Sopranos” and “Seinfeld.”

For a lot of within the recreation — gamers, coaches, sportswriters and even umpires — Pepitone was a lovable if self-centered, entertaining if exasperating, vastly gifted if vastly troubled man.

“I want I might purchase you for what you’re actually price,” Mantle as soon as stated to him, based on the web site Baseball-Almanac.com, “then promote you for what you assume you’re price.”

Alex Traub contributed reporting.

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