JOE STANEK

Class of 1949
​Inducted in 2007

Joe was inducted into the SHSAA Packer Sports Greats in 2007.

Joe Stanek earned letters in baseball and basketball.  He played on the 1948 Metz Championship team, was the pitcher on the City-State-Regional Sectional Championship team, and played in the Legion World Series.  Following graduation, Joe started his professional baseball career with the Brooklyn Dodgers farm teams, playing in Ponca City, Oklahoma for two years, and then in Elmira, New York Class A for one year.  He served in the United States Coast Guard for two years and then played Class AAA baseball for several teams.  These include the Pueblo Dodgers and the Fort Worth Dodgers in 1954; the Montreal Dodgers in 1955; the Montreal Dodgers and St. Paul Saints in 1956; and returning to Fort Worth and Pueblo in 1957, and finally ending his career in Des Moines in 1958.  Stanek had the longest career in professional baseball than any other player from SHS.  After ending his baseball career, Joe went into business with his father operating Buck’s Shoes in South Omaha.  He umpired baseball games for many years in and around Omaha including games for the University of Nebraska, and also for the College World Series.