Johnny Hairston facts for kids

John Louis Hairston was born on August 27, 1944. He is a former baseball player who played in Major League Baseball, which is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada. Johnny played as a catcher and a left fielder. A catcher is a player who squats behind home plate to receive pitches. A left fielder plays in the outfield, catching balls hit into their area.

Johnny Hairston played for the Chicago Cubs during the 1969 baseball season. He batted and threw with his right hand. His first game in the major leagues was on September 6, 1969. His last game was just a few weeks later, on October 2, 1969. During his time with the Cubs, Johnny played in three games. He got one hit out of four chances to bat, which means his batting average was .250.

A Family of Baseball Players

Johnny Hairston comes from a very special family. They are known for having the most family members play in Major League Baseball. It's like a baseball dynasty!

Johnny's father was Sammy Hairston. Sammy played in the Negro Leagues, which were professional baseball leagues for African American players before they were allowed to play in Major League Baseball. Later, Sammy became the first black player to play for the Chicago White Sox.

Johnny also has a brother named Jerry Hairston, Sr.. And his nephews, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Scott Hairston, also became professional baseball players. This means five members of the Hairston family have played in the major leagues, which is a record!

There are other famous baseball families too. The Boone family has four members who played in the majors: Ray, Bob, Bret, and Aaron. The Bell family also has four players: Gus, Buddy, David, and Mike.

Johnny Hairston made history in another way too. He was the first second-generation African American player in Major League Baseball. This means his father played, and then he, as the next generation, also played.

See also

• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players