| Joe Lafata | |
| Position: | First baseman / Outfielder |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Left |
| Birth Date: | 3 August 1921 |
| Birth Place: | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Roseville, Michigan, U.S. |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | April 17 |
| Debutyear: | 1947 |
| Debutteam: | New York Giants |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | September 25 |
| Finalyear: | 1949 |
| Finalteam: | New York Giants |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat1value: | .229 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 5 |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value: | 34 |
| Teams: |
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Joseph Joseph Lafata (August 3, 1921 – May 6, 2004) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 127 games as a first baseman, outfielder and pinch hitter in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants over three seasons spanning to .[1] Born in Detroit, Lafata threw and batted left-handed, and was listed as tall and .
Lafata's professional career stretched from 1940 through 1952, with two full years (and) missed due to his World War II United States Army service.[2] He spent the full 1947 and 1949 seasons with the Giants, starting 33 games as a first baseman and 19 as a left fielder. In perhaps his finest MLB game, on June 23, 1949 against the St. Louis Cardinals at Sportsman's Park, he collected three hits in four at bats, including a two-run home run off Cardinals' southpaw Howie Pollet.[3]
All told, he batted .229 in the majors in 236 at bats, with three doubles, two triples, five home runs and 34 runs batted in.