St. Louis Browns right-handed pitcher Don Johnson was born on November 12, 1926 in Portland, Oregon. He would play with 11 organizations over the course of a 15 year baseball career, including time with the New York Yankees and the World Series in 1947. His time with the Browns was much shorter, and not quite as productive.
Don Johnson wa
St. Louis Browns right-handed pitcher Don Johnson was born on November 12, 1926 in Portland, Oregon. He would play with 11 organizations over the course of a 15 year baseball career, including time with the New York Yankees and the World Series in 1947. His time with the Browns was much shorter, and not quite as productive.
Don Johnson was a star high school pitcher in Portland, when the Yankees signed him at the age of 16 in 1943. In his first minor league season he split time between the Kansas City Blues and the Newark Bears.
His career was set aside as he spent two seasons serving in the US Army in World War II (1945-46). He was a member of the services that occupied Japan into 1946.
Johnson's return to baseball in 1947 led to the Yankees and the World Series. After time with the Portland Beavers (1948) and Sacramento Solons (1949), he returned to the Yankees in time to be a part of a seven player deal with the Browns.
On June 15, 1950 the Yankees sent Don Johnson, OF Jim Delsing, RHP Duane Pillette, Snuffy Stirnweiss, and $50,000 to the Browns for RHP Tom Ferrick, LHP Joe Ostrowski, and 3B Leo Thomas. Don Johnson's time with the Browns would only last 31 games over a calendar year. In the last half of the 1950 season, he would appear in 25 games, where he pitched four complete games of the 12 he started. He would finish with a 6.09 ERA and a 5-6 record. His 1951 season was not as impressive. Johnson would only see action in six games, where he started three of them. In those six games, he would only make it through 15 innings and had a surprising 12.60 ERA. By the end of May, the Browns were getting ready to send him to the minors when his contract was purchased by the Washington Senators (May 29, 1951).
Johnson's baseball career would extend another ten years, bouncing between the minor and major leagues. He would spend time with Washington (1951-52), Chicago White Sox (1954), Baltimore Orioles (1955), and San Francisco Giants (1958). He would also pitch for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1953, 56-59), and Portland Beavers (1960).
He returned to his hometown of Portland, Oregon after he retired from baseball. He would drive a cab in Portland for over 25 years, and was even shot in the head during an attempted robbery. He survived to tell the story for years, as he would often appear in "Old Timers" games.
TRANSACTION
1945 - The Browns lost INF Hal Quick to the Chicago Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft. Quick never played for the St. Louis, but was in the Browns minor league organization when he was drafted into the US military. He would spend four seasons in the Army, where he was later acquired by the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft. He would not play wit
TRANSACTION
1945 - The Browns lost INF Hal Quick to the Chicago Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft. Quick never played for the St. Louis, but was in the Browns minor league organization when he was drafted into the US military. He would spend four seasons in the Army, where he was later acquired by the Cubs in the Rule 5 Draft. He would not play with Chicago, but would spend the next five seasons in the minors. 1947 - Browns acquired INF Garvin Hamner from the Philadelphia Phillies in the Rule 5 Draft. Garvin would remain in the Browns minor league organization with the Toledo Mud Hens (1948), and the San Antonio Missions (1948-50). He would never get a chance to play for the MLB Browns.
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1926 - RHP Don Johnson (1950-51)
The 1942 St. Louis Browns pitching staff included 16 players spread out through the season. This staff used six starting pitchers throughout the season, with each one appearing in over 20 games. The Browns had only two hurlers appeared in over 200 Innings (Elden Auker - 249, Johnny Niggeling - 206.1). Five of the six starting pitchers rec
The 1942 St. Louis Browns pitching staff included 16 players spread out through the season. This staff used six starting pitchers throughout the season, with each one appearing in over 20 games. The Browns had only two hurlers appeared in over 200 Innings (Elden Auker - 249, Johnny Niggeling - 206.1). Five of the six starting pitchers recorded winning records during the season, and 11 of the 16 pitchers did the same. One of the more interesting statistics from this season was the Browns would give out 505 walks through the season, but 54 would be intentional walks (which is 11% of the total number of walks). They would lead the American League in balks (4), and finish second with 25 hit batters. George Caster would appear 39 games, all from the bull pen. He closed out 24 games but only earned five saves.
Team Pitching Statistics
(American League Rankings)
Player Statistics