Johnny Blanchard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Blanchard |
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Blanchard, circa 1964–65
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| Outfielder / Catcher | |
| Born: February 26, 1933 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Died: March 25, 2009 (aged 76) Robbinsdale, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| debut | |
| September 25, 1955, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last appearance | |
| September 27, 1965, for the Milwaukee Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .239 |
| Home runs | 67 |
| Runs batted in | 200 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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John "Johnny" Edwin Blanchard (born February 26, 1933 – died March 25, 2009) was an American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder and catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Johnny played for famous teams like the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, and Milwaukee Braves. He is best known for his time with the Yankees, especially during their championship years.
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Johnny Blanchard's Baseball Career
Johnny Blanchard was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He went to high school there, playing football, basketball, and baseball. After playing semi-pro baseball, the New York Yankees signed him to a professional contract.
He spent three years playing in the minor leagues. Then, he served two years in the U.S. Army. Blanchard briefly played for the Yankees in 1955. It took him four years to return to the major leagues. In 1960, he got more playing time. This happened because the Yankees' main catchers were injured.
A Famous Backup Catcher
Sportswriter Bill Madden once called Blanchard "probably the most famous third-string catcher in baseball history." A "third-string" player is usually a backup for other backups. Blanchard stayed with the Yankees until 1965. He mostly served as a backup catcher.
In 1961, the Yankees won the World Series. Blanchard played in 93 games that season. He hit 21 home runs. A home run is when a batter hits the ball out of the field, scoring a run. He even hit four home runs in a row over three games. This set a major league record! He said, "Who am I to hit five?"
World Series Highlights
Blanchard was not known for his defense, but he was great in the 1961 World Series. He hit two home runs against the Cincinnati Reds. He also had a great batting average of .400 in that series. A batting average shows how often a player gets a hit.
Johnny played in the World Series five times with the Yankees. He holds a major league record for pinch-hit at-bats in the World Series. A "pinch-hitter" is a player who bats in place of another player.
In the 1960 World Series, Blanchard was the catcher. He called the pitch that Bill Mazeroski hit for a series-ending home run. This home run won the series for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the favored Yankees.
Later Career and Stats
In 1965, Blanchard was traded to the Kansas City Athletics. Later that year, his contract was sold to the Milwaukee Braves. He played 10 games for the Braves. After 1965, he did not play baseball in 1966. He tried to come back in 1968, but it was unsuccessful.
In his major league career, Johnny Blanchard played in 516 games. He had a .239 batting average. He hit 67 home runs and drove in 200 runs. "Runs batted in" (RBI) means how many runs a player helped score.
Postseason Success
Blanchard was very successful in the postseason. In 15 World Series games from 1960 to 1964, he had a .345 batting average. He also scored 6 runs, hit 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and had 5 RBI. He also got on base 2 times by drawing a walk.
Broadcasting Career
After his playing career, Johnny Blanchard became a color commentator. He helped broadcast the very first live ESPN game ever. This game was a professional softball game. It took place on September 7, 1979, in Lannon, Wisconsin.
Death
Johnny Blanchard passed away from a heart attack. He died on March 25, 2009, in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. His funeral was held in Plymouth, Minnesota. He was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
