▁contrib uting ▁to ▁Jo ost ' s ▁performance ▁with ▁the ▁A ' s ▁was ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁wear ▁e y eg lass es ▁on ▁the ▁field , ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁avoided ▁earlier ▁in ▁his ▁career ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁negative ▁s tere ot ype ▁of ▁athlet es ▁with ▁eye we ar ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁After ▁speaking ▁with ▁A ' s ▁manager ▁Con nie ▁Mack , ▁ ▁Jo ost ▁began ▁to ▁wear ▁his ▁glass es ▁while ▁playing ▁— ▁and ▁improved ▁his ▁hitting . ▁ ▁Despite ▁his ▁low ▁lifetime ▁batt ing ▁average , ▁Jo ost ▁had ▁excellent ▁p atience ▁at ▁the ▁plate , ▁resulting ▁in ▁six ▁straight ▁seasons ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁wal ks ▁or ▁more , ▁and ▁a ▁career ▁on - base ▁percentage ▁of ▁. 3 6 1 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁he ▁had ▁an ▁O B P ▁of ▁. 4 2 9 , ▁hitting ▁ 2 3 ▁home ▁runs , ▁scoring ▁ 1 2 8 ▁runs ▁and ▁walking ▁ 1 4 9 ▁times . ▁ ▁But ▁the ▁Athletics ' ▁res urg ence ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁was ▁brief . ▁Bes et ▁by ▁limited ▁fin ances ▁and ▁a ▁virt ually ▁none x istent ▁farm ▁system , ▁the ▁Mack men ▁could ▁not ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁Yan ke es , ▁Indians ▁and ▁Red ▁So x . ▁ ▁Mack , ▁the ▁team ' s ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁patri arch ▁and ▁manager , ▁retired ▁at ▁age ▁ 8 7 ▁after ▁a ▁dis astr ous ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁campaign ▁in ▁which