Johnny Gray (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Gray |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: December 11, 1926 West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
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| Died: May 21, 2014 (aged 87) Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 18, 1954, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 16, 1958, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 4–18 | ||
| Earned run average | 6.18 | ||
| Strikeouts | 75 | ||
| Teams | |||
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John Leonard Gray (December 11, 1926 – May 21, 2014), known as Johnny Gray, was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four seasons. His teams included the Philadelphia Athletics, Kansas City Athletics, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Gray was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was a tall player, standing 6 feet 4 inches and weighing 226 pounds. He batted and threw with his right hand.
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Early Life and College Days
Johnny Gray grew up in Florida. He went to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. While there, he was a star player on the school's baseball team.
Before starting his professional baseball career, Gray served his country. He was in the United States Army during World War II. He served in the Mediterranean area.
Starting His Baseball Journey
Gray began his professional baseball career in 1950. He was signed by the New York Yankees. For four years, he played in their minor league system. He had a good record of 44 wins and 39 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.28.
In December 1953, the Yankees traded Gray to the Athletics. This trade gave him a chance to play in the major leagues.
Major League Career
Johnny Gray played for the Athletics during an interesting time. He was with them in their last season in Philadelphia. He also played for them in their first season after moving to Kansas City.
After his time with the Athletics, Gray joined the Cleveland Indians in 1957. In 1958, he played for the Philadelphia Phillies.
One of his best games was on July 30, 1957. While playing for the Indians, he pitched a three-hit shutout against the Baltimore Orioles. This means the Orioles got only three hits and scored no runs.
In his four seasons in the major leagues, Gray played in 48 games. He started 24 of those games. His overall record was 4 wins and 18 losses. His ERA was 6.18. He struck out 75 batters.
Minor League Years
Even though he played in the major leagues, Gray spent most of his career in the minor leagues. He played for 11 seasons between 1950 and 1960. During this time, he played for 13 different teams.
He had a minor league record of 71 wins and 75 losses. His ERA was 3.33. In five of those seasons, he won at least 10 games. In 1956, he had the best ERA in the American Association league, with a 2.72 ERA.
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing baseball, Johnny Gray started a new career. He worked as a manager for an apartment complex in Miami, Florida. He lived in Palm Beach County for many years.
In 1979, Rollins College honored him. He was inducted into the Rollins College Hall of Fame. This recognized his achievements in college baseball.
Johnny Gray passed away on May 21, 2014, in Boca Raton, Florida. He was 87 years old. He was buried at the South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida. He received military honors from the US Army.
