Johnny Burnett (baseball)
Encyclopedia
John Henderson "Johnny" Burnett (November 1, 1904 – August 12, 1959) was an American professional baseball
player who was a utility infielder
in Major League Baseball
for nine seasons during the 1920s and 1930s. Burnett played second base, third base
, shortstop
, and outfielder
for the Cleveland Indians
and St. Louis Browns
.
Born in Bartow, Florida
, he made his major league debut for the Cleveland Indians at the age of twenty-two on May 7, 1927 against the Philadelphia Athletics after graduating from the University of Florida
. Burnett wore uniform number 1 in all eight of his seasons with the Indians. In , Burnett's first season as an everyday starter, he was batting above .300 into July when, on July 19, he broke his wrist and was sidelined for the season. Without Burnett, the Indians narrowly missed the playoffs after finishing eight games above .500. On July 10, , still playing for the Indians, Burnett had a major league record nine hits in eleven at-bats in an eighteen inning game against the Philadelphia Athletics. Burnett's record for hits in a game still stands today.
In late , in the waning years of his career, after eight seasons with the Indians, Burnett was traded by the Indians to the St. Louis Browns for outfielder Bruce Campbell
. Wearing number 4, Burnett played only one season for the Browns before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds
near the start of the season for first baseman Jim Bottomley
. Burnett never played a game for the Reds, and never played professional baseball again. His last game was on September 29, . Burnett died in Tampa, Florida
on August 12, 1959 at the age of fifty-four from acute leukemia.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who was a utility infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in Major League Baseball
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...
for nine seasons during the 1920s and 1930s. Burnett played second base, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
and St. Louis Browns
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...
.
Born in Bartow, Florida
Bartow, Florida
Bartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
, he made his major league debut for the Cleveland Indians at the age of twenty-two on May 7, 1927 against the Philadelphia Athletics after graduating from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
. Burnett wore uniform number 1 in all eight of his seasons with the Indians. In , Burnett's first season as an everyday starter, he was batting above .300 into July when, on July 19, he broke his wrist and was sidelined for the season. Without Burnett, the Indians narrowly missed the playoffs after finishing eight games above .500. On July 10, , still playing for the Indians, Burnett had a major league record nine hits in eleven at-bats in an eighteen inning game against the Philadelphia Athletics. Burnett's record for hits in a game still stands today.
In late , in the waning years of his career, after eight seasons with the Indians, Burnett was traded by the Indians to the St. Louis Browns for outfielder Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell (baseball)
Bruce Campbell was a professional baseball player from 1930 to 1942. Campbell began his career with the Chicago White Sox, but had very little playing time in the major leagues. In 1932, Campbell was traded from the White Sox to the St. Louis Browns, with Bump Hadley, for Red Kress. In St...
. Wearing number 4, Burnett played only one season for the Browns before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
near the start of the season for first baseman Jim Bottomley
Jim Bottomley
James Leroy Bottomley was born in Oglesby, Illinois and grew up in Nokomis, Illinois. Nicknamed "Sunny Jim" because of his cheerful disposition, he was a left-handed Major League Baseball player. He also served as player-manager for the St. Louis Browns in 1937.-Career:As a first baseman for the...
. Burnett never played a game for the Reds, and never played professional baseball again. His last game was on September 29, . Burnett died in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
on August 12, 1959 at the age of fifty-four from acute leukemia.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators baseball players