Joe Harris (first baseman)

Joseph "Joe" Harris (May 20, 1891 – December 10, 1959), nicknamed "Moon", was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball.

He was born in Coulter, Pennsylvania.

In 1918, he was drafted into the United States Army. He served during World War I and was in a truck accident while serving. He suffered 2 broken legs, 3 broken ribs, and a fractured skull, thus creating the 'lump' under his eye. He did need plastic surgery to help fix his facial injury. In 1919, he was discharged due to injury from the army and returned to the Cleveland Indians for part of the season. At season's end, he played for an industrial team, which offered him money and a business. Harris played with the team for the 1920 and 1921 seasons. By violating the reserve clause in his 1919 contract, Harris automatically was placed on organized baseball's ineligible list.

Prior to the 1922 season, Harris applied for and was granted reinstatement by baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, in part due to Harris' war service. Harris died at age 68 in Plum, Pennsylvania.