Johnny Lewis (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Johnny Lewis |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: August 10, 1939 Greenville, Alabama |
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| Died: July 29, 2018 (aged 78) Pensacola, Florida |
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| debut | |||
| April 14, 1964, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 11, 1967, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .227 | ||
| Home runs | 22 | ||
| Runs batted in | 74 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Johnny Joe Lewis (born August 10, 1939 – died July 29, 2018) was an American professional baseball player. He also worked as a coach, scout, and in team offices. Johnny played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets from 1964 to 1967. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Johnny was born in Greenville, Alabama.
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Johnny's Early Baseball Career
Johnny Lewis started his professional baseball journey in 1959. He first played for teams in the Cardinals' organization. In 1960, he showed off his power. He hit the most Home runs and had the most runs batted in in the Class C Northern League. Because of his great play, he was named an All-Star that year.
The next year, Johnny moved up quickly to Double-A baseball. He also made the All-Star team in the Texas League. These early years showed that Johnny was a talented player ready for bigger challenges.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Johnny Lewis joined the St. Louis Cardinals team early in the 1964 season. He played his first MLB game on April 14 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After playing in 40 games, he was sent to Triple-A in June. He came back to the Cardinals when the minor league season ended. However, he did not play in any games as the Cardinals won the National League pennant and the World Series title.
On December 7, 1964, Johnny was traded to the New York Mets. He played 226 games for the Mets over three seasons.
A Memorable Moment with the Mets
Johnny Lewis is perhaps best remembered for a special moment with the Mets. On June 14, 1965, he broke up a Jim Maloney no-hitter game. Maloney, a pitcher for the other team, had not allowed any hits for ten innings. But in the 11th inning, Johnny hit a game-winning homer. This hit ended Maloney's no-hitter and won the game for the Mets!
Johnny was known as "The Gunner" when he played for the Mets. This nickname came from his strong arm. He was very good at throwing out runners from the outfield. He played most of his games in right field and center field.
After His Playing Days
Johnny Lewis stopped playing professional baseball in 1968 after ten seasons. But he stayed involved in the sport he loved. In 1969, he rejoined the Cardinals. He helped manage how players were developed and how scouts found new talent.
Johnny also returned to the field as a coach for the Cardinals' main team. He coached from 1973 to 1976 and again from 1984 to 1989. He was the first African-American coach for the Cardinals. He also managed a minor league team, the Calgary Cardinals, in 1977 and 1978. For many years, Johnny also worked as a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.
During his time in Major League Baseball, Johnny Lewis had 174 hits. He hit 24 doubles, six triples, and 22 home runs. His batting average was .227, and he had 74 runs batted in. He also had 20 assists as an outfielder, showing his strong defensive skills.
Johnny Lewis passed away on July 29, 2018, in Pensacola, Florida. He was 78 years old.
