Year Inducted – 1983

The career of this Hall of Famer blossomed while attending Hower Vocational High School, where he excelled in baseball and basketball. He then followed his brother, Pete, to stardom in local amateur baseball. Joyce, a power hitting catcher who could also handle the duties at first base and in the outfield, was consistently among the leaders in homeruns and RBI’s on any level he played. For four seasons he gave pro ball his all, toiling in the St. Louis Cardinal’s organization. In 1941, he led the Northeast Arkansas League in home runs, RBI’s and slugging percentages. Following a stint in the armed services, Joyce returned home to help lead the Smith Sheriffs to the 1946 A League Championship. He was also an All-Star and helped lead Goodyear and the Borden Autos to League titles later in his career.