Johnny Ritchey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Ritchey |
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| Born: January 5, 1923 San Diego, California |
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| Died: January 14, 2003 (aged 80) Chula Vista, California |
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John Franklin Ritchey (born January 5, 1923 – died January 14, 2003) was an American professional baseball catcher. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 180 pounds. John batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Ritchey is remembered as one of the first African American players in Minor League Baseball during the 1900s. He won batting titles in both the Negro Leagues and the Minor Leagues. He was also the first black player to play in the Pacific Coast League in 32 years. Before him, pitcher Jimmy Claxton played in 1916 by pretending to be part Native American. Even though Ritchey didn't seek fame for breaking this barrier, he has a bronze statue in Petco Park.
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John Ritchey's Early Life
John Ritchey was born and grew up in San Diego, California. He was the youngest son in a famous athletic family. From a young age, he learned to play baseball with both black and white players. This happened at San Diego High School and in youth leagues. His teammates called him Johnny Baseball because he loved the game so much.
High School Baseball Star
From 1938 to 1940, Ritchey was a top player for his high school team. He played for three years under coach Mike Morrow. During this time, he also played for three years with American Legion Baseball clubs, also coached by Morrow.
When he was 15, Ritchey and another black player, Nelson Manuel, were stars on the Post Six American Legion team. This team won the Junior World Series in 1938. The tournament was held in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Sadly, neither Ritchey nor Manuel could play in the final game. This was because black players were not allowed to play on the same field as white players in Spartanburg.
Two years later, in 1940, the Post 6 team, again led by Ritchey and Manuel, reached the American Legion finals in North Carolina. This time, the two boys were allowed to play in the semifinals. But when the team moved to the finals in Albemarle, North Carolina, officials asked that the black players stay on the bench. Without two of their best players, San Diego lost the championship series.
Serving in World War II
After high school, Ritchey went to San Diego State College. He planned to study law and play for the San Diego State Aztecs baseball team. But soon after, he joined the Army during World War II.
He served for 27 months in a combat engineering unit. He was part of important events like the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He also served in the South West Pacific. Ritchey earned five battle stars and became a staff sergeant.
After the war, he returned to college in 1946 to finish his studies. He became a star for the Aztecs. He won the Linn Platner Trophy for having the highest batting average at .356. He also set a record with 25 stolen bases.
Professional Baseball Journey
In 1947, John Ritchey started his professional baseball career. He joined the Chicago American Giants in the Negro American League. He had a great season, hitting for a .381 batting average. This was the best in the league! He just barely beat Birmingham Black Barons star shortstop Artie Wilson. At the same time, Jackie Robinson was making history by breaking the Color Barrier in Major League Baseball. Soon after, Ritchey also made history. He became the first African American to play in the Pacific Coast League.
Breaking Barriers in the PCL
After Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, the Chicago Cubs noticed Ritchey. They watched him play with the American Giants and invited him for a tryout in September 1948. Ritchey worked out for the Cubs for six hours. But he didn't get a contract right away. The Cubs suggested he play in winter leagues first.
Ritchey then went back to California. He got an offer to play in his hometown for the San Diego Padres in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). This was a very exciting offer for him. At that time, the PCL was almost as good as the Major Leagues. So, he joined the San Diego Padres in 1948. Later that year, other black players like Booker McDaniels, Alonzo Perry, and Artie Wilson also joined the PCL.
In his first season with the Padres, Ritchey competed for the catcher position. The main catchers were injured during spring training. So, Ritchey caught almost every game in the first series. He hit very well, getting 8 hits in 16 tries. This included a game-winning, three-run home run. When the other catchers got healthy, he played less. He finished the year playing in 103 games. He batted .323 with four home runs, two triples, and 10 doubles. He also had 35 runs batted in.
In 1949, Ritchey's hitting wasn't as strong. But he was still a very good fielder. He made only two errors in 421 chances as a backup catcher.
Playing in Other Leagues
After his time with the Padres, Ritchey played for the Portland Beavers in 1950 and 1951. In 1950, he hit .270 with two home runs and 34 RBI in 107 games.
In 1951, he played only one game for Portland before joining the Vancouver Capilanos. This team was part of the Western International League. Here, he had his best season ever! He won the league's batting title with a .346 average. He also set personal bests with 7 home runs, 86 RBI, 91 runs scored, and 156 hits. He stole 20 bases and had more walks than strikeouts.
Ritchey returned to Vancouver in 1952. He hit .343 and had career highs with 96 runs, eight triples, and 27 stolen bases. He again had more walks than strikeouts. He almost won the batting title for a second time, missing it by a tiny amount.
After that, Ritchey played three more seasons in the PCL. He played for the Sacramento Solons and San Francisco Seals from 1953 to 1955. He hit .291 for Sacramento in 1953, with 31 extra-base hits and 55 RBI in 147 games. He improved with San Francisco in 1955, hitting .285 in 130 games.
Winter Baseball and Final Season
Ritchey also played winter baseball in other countries. He played for the Navegantes del Magallanes in the Venezuelan League in 1948-49 and 1949-50. He hit very well, with a .347 batting average. He also played three seasons in the Mexican Pacific League. He played for teams like the Ostioneros de Guaymas, Naranjeros de Hermosillo, and Tacuarineros de Culiacán. He batted .341 for Culiacán.
John Ritchey's last season was in 1956. He played 16 games for the Syracuse Chiefs in the Eastern League.
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing baseball, John Ritchey moved back to San Diego. He and his wife, Martina, raised their three children there. He got a job delivering milk for the Continental Baking Company, which made popular foods like Twinkies.
Later, Ritchey moved to Chula Vista, California. He passed away there in 2003, just nine days after his 80th birthday.
Throughout his life, Ritchey was a dedicated family man. Once, a reporter asked him if he took his wife and baby daughter to Venezuela with him. He replied, "I take them everywhere I go."
Baseball historian William Swank spoke at Ritchey's funeral. He shared a conversation he had with John before he died. Swank told John, "I know you never made it to the Major Leagues, but you're going into the Major Leagues now. Your statue is going into that new ballpark they're building in downtown San Diego."
In 2005, the San Diego Padres unveiled a statue of John Ritchey. It is located at Petco Park. In 2017, Ritchey was also honored by being inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame.
