Johnny Antonelli facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Antonelli |
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Antonelli in 1955
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: April 12, 1930 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
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| Died: February 28, 2020 (aged 89) Rochester, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 4, 1948, for the Boston Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 4, 1961, for the Milwaukee Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 126–110 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.34 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,162 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Johnny Antonelli (born April 12, 1930 – died February 28, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. He was a left-handed starting pitcher who played for several teams. These included the Boston / Milwaukee Braves, New York / San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Indians. His career lasted from 1948 to 1961.
Antonelli became famous early in his career. He received the largest signing bonus in baseball history at that time. He signed with the Braves for $52,000 in 1948. Later, he became a six-time National League All-Star. He also won 20 games in two different seasons. He was a key player for the 1954 World Series champion Giants. He batted left-handed. He was 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 185 pounds. He was also the first person born in the 1930s to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).
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Early Life and Big Break
Johnny Antonelli was born and lived most of his life in Rochester, New York. He was a talented pitcher for Jefferson High School. Many major league scouts wanted to sign him. Even Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell said Antonelli was one of the most balanced pitchers he had ever seen.
His father, Gus, helped promote Johnny's talent. In Johnny's senior year, Gus rented Silver Stadium. This was so scouts could watch him pitch. Nine out of the 16 MLB teams sent scouts. About 7,000 fans also came to watch. On June 29, 1948, Antonelli signed with the Boston Braves. He received a $52,000 bonus. This was the biggest signing bonus in baseball history at the time.
Baseball rules back then said that "bonus babies" (players earning over $4,000) had to stay on a major league team for at least two seasons. They could not be sent to the minor leagues right away. So, Antonelli went straight from high school to the MLB Braves. He never played in the minor leagues.
Pitching for the Braves
On July 4, 1948, Antonelli made his MLB debut. He pitched in relief during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed one run in the eighth inning. The Braves lost that game 7–2. The Braves won the National League championship that year. But Antonelli mostly pitched during batting practice. He only played in four games, all in relief.
His large bonus caused some problems with his teammates. It was much more than what veteran players like Johnny Sain earned. When the Braves voted on how to share their 1948 World Series money, they didn't want to give Antonelli any. Commissioner Happy Chandler had to step in. Antonelli was then given a small share of $571.31.
In 1949, Antonelli gained more experience. He made his first major league start on May 1. He pitched eight innings, allowing two runs. He earned his first MLB win as the Braves beat the New York Giants 4–2. On June 12, he pitched his first shutout against the Chicago Cubs. He finished the season with a 3–7 win–loss record. He had a 3.56 earned run average (ERA) and 48 strikeouts in 96 innings.
Before the 1950 season, some people doubted Antonelli. He made only six starts that year. He pitched mostly from the bullpen. He finished 1950 with a 2–3 record and a 5.93 ERA. He struck out 33 batters.
Antonelli then served in the United States Army for two years. This was during the Korean War. He played baseball for his Army team, with an amazing 42–2 record. During his service, he played with future teammate and Hall of Famer Willie Mays.
After his military service, Antonelli rejoined the Braves in 1953. The team had moved to Milwaukee. He became a regular starting pitcher. He pitched two shutouts early in the season. He had a good record of 8–4 by the All-Star break. However, he got pneumonia in the second half of the season. His performance dropped, and he finished with a 12–12 record. Despite this, he was fifth in the National League (NL) in ERA (3.18).
Becoming a Giants Star
New York Success (1954-1957)
In February 1954, Antonelli was traded to the New York Giants. This was a big trade for Bobby Thomson, a popular Giants player. The Giants needed strong pitchers. Antonelli said this trade was "the best break of my career."
He quickly became a star for the Giants. On June 9, he pitched a seven-hit shutout against his old team, the Milwaukee Braves. He was chosen for the All-Star team for the first time. He won 11 straight games from May 25 to August 1.
In 1954, Antonelli had an amazing season. He won 21 games and lost only 7. He led the league in ERA (2.30) and shutouts (six). He helped the Giants win the NL pennant. He was named The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year. He also finished third in the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.
In the 1954 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, Antonelli started Game 2. He pitched well, allowing only one run. He beat Hall of Famer Early Wynn. The Giants won 3–1. In Game 4, he came in as a relief pitcher and got the save. The Giants swept the series, winning all four games.
In 1955, Antonelli's salary increased significantly. He pitched a 16-inning complete game on May 1, allowing only one run. He had some arm problems that year, as remembered by Willie Mays. He finished the season with a 14–16 record and a 3.33 ERA. He also hit four home runs, a career high for him.
Despite his 1955 record, Antonelli had a great 1956 season. He won 11 of his last 12 starts to reach 20 wins. He finished with a 20–13 record. He was tied for second in the NL in wins. He was also third in ERA (2.86) and second in shutouts (five). He was selected for the NL All-Star team again.
In 1957, Antonelli continued to be an All-Star. He was chosen for the NL All-Star Team by Walt Alston. He finished the season with a 12–18 record. His 18 losses tied for second most in the league.
Moving to San Francisco (1958-1960)
In 1958, the Giants moved from New York to San Francisco. Antonelli was still a strong pitcher. He was part of the NL All-Star team for the third year in a row. He finished the season with a 16–13 record. He was sixth in the NL in wins and ERA.
In 1959, MLB held two All-Star Games. Antonelli was selected for both. He was the winning pitcher in relief in the first All-Star Game on July 7. He pitched two other shutouts that year. However, he complained about the windy conditions at Seals Stadium. This was where the Giants played while Candlestick Park was being built. He said, "A pitcher should be paid double for working here." This made some San Francisco fans boo him.
Despite the stadium issues, Antonelli had a strong year. He went 19–10 in 38 starts. He tied for the NL lead in shutouts (four). He also set a career high with 282 innings pitched. He was fourth in the league in wins and strikeouts.
In 1960, the Giants moved to Candlestick Park. Antonelli had trouble winning games. He spent most of the season pitching from the bullpen. He recorded 11 saves, tying for fifth in the NL. He finished the year with a 6–7 record. On December 3, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians.
Final Season and Retirement
Antonelli started the 1961 season with the Cleveland Indians. After losing his first four games, he was moved to the bullpen. On July 4, his contract was sold back to his original team, the Braves, who were still in Milwaukee. He pitched in nine relief games for Milwaukee. He won his only decision there.
His final major league game was on September 4, 1961. He allowed one run in a loss to the Cubs. Overall in 1961, he had a 1–4 record. On October 11, his contract was sold again. This time, it was to the new expansion team, the New York Mets. This would have brought Antonelli back to the Polo Grounds, where he had much success.
However, Antonelli decided to retire in February 1962. He said he was "tired of traveling" and wanted to be home with his family. Mets manager Casey Stengel joked about it, saying Antonelli was "doing all right selling those black doughnuts in Rochester," referring to Antonelli's Firestone business.
Johnny's Baseball Stats
In his 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, Johnny Antonelli played in 377 regular-season games. He started 268 of those games. He had a career record of 126 wins and 110 losses. He completed 102 games and pitched 25 shutouts. He also earned 21 saves.
He pitched a total of 1,992 and one-third innings. During that time, he allowed 1,870 hits and 687 walks. He struck out 1,162 batters. His career earned run average (ERA) was 3.34. In the 1954 World Series, he had a 1–0 record and a very low 0.84 ERA. He also won the first All-Star Game of 1959.
As a hitter, Antonelli had a .178 batting average. He hit 15 home runs and had 59 RBI (runs batted in). He was sometimes used as a pinch hitter or pinch runner later in his career.
Antonelli mainly used a fastball and a curveball when he pitched. He also threw some off-speed pitches. He felt that the Polo Grounds, the Giants' old stadium, helped him succeed. He said it was a "friendly ballpark" that helped him keep batters from hitting the ball hard. This allowed Willie Mays to catch many balls.
Life After Baseball
While playing for the Braves, Johnny Antonelli married Rosemarie Carbone. They had four children: Lisa, Donna, Regina, and John Jr. After Rosemarie passed away in 2002, Antonelli married Gail Harms in 2006.
On November 5, 1954, his hometown of Rochester, New York, celebrated "Johnny Antonelli Day." They held a parade for him and gave him a new Buick car and a key to the city. Antonelli announced he would move back to Rochester soon.
He kept his promise and opened a chain of Firestone Tire stores in Rochester. He said he started the business with his World Series money. His first store opened in 1955. Over time, his business grew to 28 locations across New York state. His stores even sponsored "Johnny Antonelli Night" at local baseball games. They also had a program called "Captain Friendly" to help people with car trouble for free.
Antonelli ran his businesses until 1994. He retired due to frustrations with Bridgestone, which had bought Firestone. He lived in Pittsford, a suburb of Rochester. He was also a board member for the Rochester Red Wings baseball team. He enjoyed playing golf as a hobby. Johnny Antonelli passed away from cancer on February 28, 2020, at the age of 89.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders
