However, the Pittsburgh Pirates took a flyer on him in 1984, and he managed a .289 average in the Carolina League (though at 29, he was easily the oldest player in the loop). A shot with the Pirates AAA team in Hawaii ended after 15 games, and "Super Joe" retired from the game. (Charboneau did make one more appearance in a baseball uniform that year, but only on celluloid: he was an extra in the film "The Natural", playing one of Roy Hobbs' teammates.)