Johnny Peacock
Encyclopedia
John Gaston Peacock was a part-time catcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for three different teams between and . Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Peacock batted left-handed
and threw right-handed. He was born in Fremont, North Carolina.
A light-hitting catcher, Peacock was good defensively and knew how to handle his pitching staff. As a hitter, he hit only one home run
, although he amassed career totals of 1734 at-bats.
Peacock entered the majors in 1937 with the Boston Red Sox
, playing for them through the 1944 midseason before joining the Philadelphia Phillies
(1944-1945) and Brooklyn Dodgers
(1945). In his rookie season, he hit a .313 batting average
in nine games played
. The next eight years he averaged 76.25 games in each season, with a career-high 92 games in 1939. His most productive years came with Boston, when he hit .303 with a career-high 39 RBI
in 1938, and .284 with 20 doubles
in 1944.
In a nine-season career, Peacock was a .262 hitter with one home run and 194 RBI in 619 games, including 175 runs
, 455 hits
, 74 doubles, 16 triples
, 14 stolen base
s, and a .333 on-base percentage. A disciplinated hitter with a great knowledge of the strike zone, he posted a solid 2.51 walk-to-strikeout ratio
(183-to-73).
In 518 appearances behind the plate, Peacock recorded 1863 outs
, 220 assists, 37 double plays, and only 36 errors in 2119 total chances
for a .983 fielding percentage
.
Peacock died in Wilson, North Carolina
, at the age of 71.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
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...
who played for three different teams between and . Listed at 5' 11", 165 lb., Peacock batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and threw right-handed. He was born in Fremont, North Carolina.
A light-hitting catcher, Peacock was good defensively and knew how to handle his pitching staff. As a hitter, he hit only one 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...
, although he amassed career totals of 1734 at-bats.
Peacock entered the majors in 1937 with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, playing for them through the 1944 midseason before joining the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1944-1945) and Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1945). In his rookie season, he hit a .313 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in nine games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. The next eight years he averaged 76.25 games in each season, with a career-high 92 games in 1939. His most productive years came with Boston, when he hit .303 with a career-high 39 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1938, and .284 with 20 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in 1944.
In a nine-season career, Peacock was a .262 hitter with one home run and 194 RBI in 619 games, including 175 runs
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...
, 455 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 74 doubles, 16 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 14 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, and a .333 on-base percentage. A disciplinated hitter with a great knowledge of the strike zone, he posted a solid 2.51 walk-to-strikeout ratio
Walk-to-strikeout ratio
In baseball statistics, walk-to-strikeout ratio is a measure of a hitter's plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. Generally, a hitter with a good walk-to-strikeout ratio must exhibit enough patience at the plate to refrain from swinging at bad pitches and take a base on balls, but he...
(183-to-73).
In 518 appearances behind the plate, Peacock recorded 1863 outs
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
, 220 assists, 37 double plays, and only 36 errors in 2119 total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
for a .983 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
.
Peacock died in Wilson, North Carolina
Wilson, North Carolina
Wilson is a city and the county seat of Wilson County in the Coastal Plain region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 18th largest city in the state, Wilson had a population of 49,167 according to the 2010 census.- Geography :...
, at the age of 71.
External Links
- Johnny Peacock at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...