Connie Johnson (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Connie Johnson |
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| Pitcher | |||||||||||||
| Born: December 27, 1922 Stone Mountain, Georgia |
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| Died: November 28, 2004 (aged 81) Kansas City, Missouri |
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| Professional debut | |||||||||||||
| NgL: 1940, for the Toledo-Indianapolis Crawfords | |||||||||||||
| MLB: April 17, 1953, for the Chicago White Sox | |||||||||||||
| Last appearance | |||||||||||||
| September 14, 1958, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 58–50 | ||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.80 | ||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 641 | ||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Connie Johnson (born Clifford Johnson Jr. on December 27, 1922 – died November 28, 2004) was an amazing American baseball pitcher. He played in both the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB). Connie was born in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Contents
Connie Johnson's Baseball Journey
Playing in the Negro Leagues
Connie Johnson started his baseball career very young. In 1940, at just 17 years old, he played for the minor league Atlanta Black Crackers. He quickly moved to the Toledo-Indianapolis Crawfords. Soon after, he joined the famous Kansas City Monarchs.
After a great first season, Connie was chosen for the East-West All-Star Game. He was the youngest player ever to be picked for this special game.
Connie helped the Monarchs win two Negro League World Series titles in 1941 and 1942. He played alongside baseball legends like Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith. In 1943, Connie joined the Army during World War II and served for three years.
After the war, Connie returned to the Monarchs in 1946. He had a strong season, helping his team win another championship. In 1950, he had an excellent year with 11 wins and a low 2.17 earned run average (ERA). This led to his second All-Star Game appearance.
Journey to Major League Baseball
In 1951, Connie played for the St. Hyacinthe Saints in the Canadian Provincial League. He had a good record of 15 wins and 14 losses. He also led the league with 172 strikeouts. Because of his great performance, the Chicago White Sox bought his contract.
Playing for the Chicago White Sox
In 1952, Connie played for the Colorado Springs team. He won 18 games and set a league record with 233 strikeouts. This success led him to the Major Leagues. He made his MLB debut with the White Sox on April 17, 1953, when he was 30 years old.
During his first year in Chicago, Connie pitched in 14 games. He had 4 wins and 4 losses with a 3.56 ERA. After spending 1954 in the minor leagues, he returned to the White Sox in 1955. That year, he finished with 7 wins and 4 losses.
In 1956, Connie played only five games for the White Sox. Later that season, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
Time with the Baltimore Orioles
Connie joined the Baltimore Orioles in 1956. He started 25 games for them, winning 9 and losing 10. He also had two shutouts, which means he pitched an entire game without the other team scoring any runs.
His best season came in 1957. He won 14 games and lost 11, with a good 3.20 ERA. He also pitched 14 complete games and had 3 shutouts. This was impressive because the Orioles were not a very strong team that year.
In 1958, Connie was the starting pitcher for the Orioles on Opening Day. He won that game against the Washington Senators. Overall, he finished his final MLB season with 6 wins and 9 losses.
Connie Johnson played five years in Major League Baseball. He finished his career with 40 wins and 39 losses. He had 34 complete games and 8 shutouts. He also struck out 497 batters.
Later Baseball Years and Retirement
After his time in MLB, Connie played in the minor leagues for the Vancouver Mounties from 1959 to 1960. He ended his baseball career in 1961, playing for the Pericos de Puebla in the Mexican League. In his minor league career, he had 76 wins and 44 losses.
Connie also played winter baseball in the Caribbean. He played for the Spur Cola Colonites in Panama. His team won the championship in 1950-51. He pitched a great game in the 1951 Caribbean Series, helping his team get their only win.
He also played for the Tigres de Marianao in Cuba during the 1954-55 season. He led that league in strikeouts, shutouts, and innings pitched.
After retiring from baseball, Connie Johnson worked for the Ford Motor Company in Kansas City, Missouri. He retired from Ford in 1985. Connie passed away in 2004 at the age of 81.
See also
