Sargent served in the Army in France in the later stages of World War I. He was injured in a gas attack on Armistice Day.
He returned to baseball in 1919 with the Newark Bears, appearing in 124 games as a shortstop.[2] On July 23, 1919, when the Bears played in Sargent's home town of Rochester, a Joe Sargent Day was held at which friends presented him with a gold watch.[4]
In March 1920, Sargent signed with the Buffalo Bisons of the International League.[5] He appeared in 117 games for Buffalo, 83 of them as a third baseman and compiled a .307 batting average.[2]
In January 1921, the Bisons sold Sargent to the Detroit Tigers.[6] He made his major league debut with the Tigers on April 27, 1921, and appeared in 66 games, 19 as the Tigers' starting second baseman, 14 as the starting third baseman, and 11 as the starting shortstop. He compiled a .253 batting average and a .342 on-base percentage with the Tigers. He appeared in his final major league game on September 25, 1921.[1]
Sargent was married, and he and his wife, Marie, had a son, Joseph Sargent, Jr. After retiring from professional baseball, Sargent "an outstanding bowler and better than average amateur golfer."[7] He won the New York state bowling championship and once rolled three perfect games in a row.[7] He suffered for much of his life from "blinding head pains" resulting from being gassed on Armistice Day while serving in France during World War I.[7][8] Sargent died in Rochester, New York, in 1950.[1]
