Hall was born in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom and grew up in Brandon, Manitoba. Nicknamed "Bad Joe" for his aggressiveness on the ice, he played in the Manitoba Hockey Association with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Winnipeg Rowing Club and the Kenora Thistles, and in the National Hockey Association as a member of the Quebec Bulldogs. He played for the Montreal Canadiens in their first two seasons in the National Hockey League from 1917-1919.