Ernie Johnson (pitcher)
Encyclopedia
Ernest Thorwald Johnson was a Major League Baseball
pitcher
. The 6'4", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the Boston Braves
as an amateur free agent before the season. He played for the Boston Braves (1950
, 1952
), Milwaukee Braves (1953
-1958
), and Baltimore Orioles
(1959
).
, Johnson made his major league debut in relief on April 28, 1950, against the Philadelphia Phillies
at Shibe Park. His first big league win
was also in relief, coming against the New York Giants
on June 30, 1950, at the Polo Grounds
.
Johnson led Western League
pitchers with a .750 winning percentage while playing for the Denver Bears in 1949. He spent part of 1950 in the Eastern League
and all of in the American Association
before returning to the major leagues for good in . He started 10 games for Boston in 1952 and then appeared almost exclusively in relief thereafter. He led American Association pitchers with a .789 winning percentage and an ERA of 2.62 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers
in 1951.
From to , the first five years that the Braves were in Milwaukee, Johnson led the pitching staff with 175 relief appearances, an average of 35 per season. He was followed closely behind by Dave Jolly
, who relieved in 158 games during that five-year span. During those seasons the closer's
job was held at different times by Lew Burdette
, Johnson, Jolly, and Don McMahon
.
Johnson had an important role on the 1957 World Series
Champion Braves
with a 7-3 record and four saves in 30 games. In three World Series appearances against the New York Yankees
that October he gave up only one run
in seven innings
, but it happened to be a game-winning home run
by Hank Bauer
in the seventh inning of Game 6.
In nine seasons, Johnson had a losing record only once (1955) and had an overall winning percentage
of .635. Career totals include a record of 40-23 in 273 games, 19 games started
, three complete games, one shutout
, 119 games finished
, 19 saves, and an ERA
of 3.77.
to 1999
and becoming an icon in Atlanta. He was elected to the Braves' Hall of Fame on August 24, 2001. His son, Ernie Johnson, Jr., worked with him from 1993
to 1996
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. The 6'4", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
as an amateur free agent before the season. He played for the Boston Braves (1950
1950 Boston Braves season
The 1950 season was the Boston Braves 80th season. During the season, Sam Jethroe became the first black player in the history of the Braves.- Offseason :...
, 1952
1952 Boston Braves season
The Boston Braves season involved the 64-89 team finishing seventh in the National League, 32 games behind the pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers...
), Milwaukee Braves (1953
1953 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season saw the return of Major League Baseball to Milwaukee for the first time since , when the Milwaukee Brewers played before moving to St. Louis and becoming the Browns. With attendance and interest in Boston very low, team owner Lou Perini moved the team to Milwaukee,...
-1958
1958 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was a season in American baseball. The Braves finished first in the National League with a 92-62 record and returned to the World Series for the second consecutive year, losing to the New York Yankees in seven games.-Offseason:...
), and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1959
1959 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1959 Baltimore Orioles season was the franchise's sixth season in Baltimore, Maryland, and its 59th overall. It resulted with the Orioles finishing sixth in the American League with a record of 74 wins and 80 losses, 22 games behind the AL champion Chicago White Sox.- Offseason :* October 2,...
).
Playing career
After serving three years in the U.S. Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, Johnson made his major league debut in relief on April 28, 1950, against the Philadelphia Phillies
1950 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies won the National League pennant by two games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Nicknamed the "Whiz Kids" because of the youth of their roster, they went on to lose the World Series to the New York Yankees in four straight games....
at Shibe Park. His first big league win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
was also in relief, coming against the New York Giants
1950 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* December 14, 1949: Sid Gordon, Buddy Kerr, Willard Marshall, and Red Webb were traded by the Giants to the Boston Braves for Eddie Stanky and Alvin Dark.* Prior to 1950 season: Al Sima was purchased from the Giants by the Washington Senators....
on June 30, 1950, at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
.
Johnson led Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
pitchers with a .750 winning percentage while playing for the Denver Bears in 1949. He spent part of 1950 in the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
and all of in the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
before returning to the major leagues for good in . He started 10 games for Boston in 1952 and then appeared almost exclusively in relief thereafter. He led American Association pitchers with a .789 winning percentage and an ERA of 2.62 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
in 1951.
From to , the first five years that the Braves were in Milwaukee, Johnson led the pitching staff with 175 relief appearances, an average of 35 per season. He was followed closely behind by Dave Jolly
Dave Jolly
David Jolly was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. The 6'0", 165 lb. right-hander was a native of Stony Point, North Carolina. He was signed by the St. Louis Browns as an amateur free agent before the 1946 season...
, who relieved in 158 games during that five-year span. During those seasons the closer's
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
job was held at different times by Lew Burdette
Lew Burdette
Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
, Johnson, Jolly, and Don McMahon
Don McMahon
Donald John McMahon was a right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was signed by the Boston Braves before the 1950 season...
.
Johnson had an important role on the 1957 World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
Champion Braves
1957 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was the year that the team won its first and only World Series championship while based in Milwaukee. The Braves won 95 games and lost 59 to win the National League pennant by eight games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals....
with a 7-3 record and four saves in 30 games. In three World Series appearances against the New York Yankees
1957 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 55th season for the team in New York, and its 57th season overall. The team finished with a record of 98-56 to win their 23rd pennant, finishing eight games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. New York was managed by Casey Stengel...
that October he gave up only one run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in seven innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
, but it happened to be a game-winning home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
by Hank Bauer
Hank Bauer
Henry Albert "Hank" Bauer was an American right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He played with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics ; he batted and threw right-handed...
in the seventh inning of Game 6.
In nine seasons, Johnson had a losing record only once (1955) and had an overall winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
of .635. Career totals include a record of 40-23 in 273 games, 19 games started
Games started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
, three complete games, one shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
, 119 games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
, 19 saves, and an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 3.77.
Broadcasting career
Following his playing days Johnson was a longtime color commentator and play-by-play broadcaster on Braves radio and television, working from 19621962 Milwaukee Braves season
- Offseason :* October 10, 1961: Merritt Ranew was drafted from the Braves by the Houston Colt .45s in the 1961 MLB expansion draft.* November 8, 1961: Ellis Burton and Lou Jackson were acquired by the Braves from the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a minor league working agreement.* November 28,...
to 1999
1999 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*November 10, 1998: Bret Boone was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Mike Remlinger to the Atlanta Braves for Rob Bell, Denny Neagle, and Michael Tucker.*December 1, 1998: Otis Nixon was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....
and becoming an icon in Atlanta. He was elected to the Braves' Hall of Fame on August 24, 2001. His son, Ernie Johnson, Jr., worked with him from 1993
1993 Atlanta Braves season
The 1993 Atlanta Braves season saw the Braves finish in first place in the National League West with a record of 104 wins and 58 losses. In the waning weeks of the season, they engaged in a dramatic and exciting battle for the division title against the San Francisco Giants, who finished in second...
to 1996
1969 Atlanta Braves season
The Atlanta Braves season was a season in American baseball. The National League had been split into two divisions before the season, with the Braves somewhat incongruously being assigned to the National League West...
.