Johnny Pesky

From SoSH

Born John Michael Paveskovich on September 27, 1919, Johnny began his career with the Boston Red Sox on April 14, 1942.

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Awards & Achievements 3 Moments in the Sun 4 Managerial Record 5 Trivia 6 Transactions 7 External Links

Overall Career

In his rookie season, the lefthanded-hitting Pesky collected 205 hits (a Red Sox rookie record) to lead the league, and finished second in the batting race to teammate Ted Williams with a .331 average. After spending the next three years in the service, he came back in 1946 to lead the Red Sox to their first pennant since 1918 with another league-leading 208 hits, including 11 in a row at one stretch, for a .335 average. On May 8, he set an AL record by scoring six times in one game, later tied by another Red Sox shortstop, Spike Owen. In 1947, after getting married and gaining 30 pounds in the off-season, he had an AL-high 207 hits to lead the league for the third straight year, compiling a .324 average. He also had a 27-game hit streak during the season. In 1948, with the acquisition of Vern Stephens, new manager Joe McCarthy moved Pesky to third, and Pesky hit only .281, but led the majors in double plays. After switching him back to shortstop in 1951, the Red Sox traded him to Detroit during the 1952 season in a nine-player deal, where he played mainly second base. He ended his career with the Senators in 1954. A contact hitter, he struck out just 218 times, never striking out more than 36 times in a season.

After ending his playing career, he managed in the Tiger minor league system from 1956 to 1960 and in the Red Sox' system in 1961 and 1962. He was brought up to manage the big club in 1963, but was fired with two games to go in the 1964 season. He coached with the Pirates in 1965 and 1966, then moved back to Boston and into the broadcast booth from 1969 to 1974. In 1980 he was interim manager at the end of the season after Don Zimmer was fired.

To this day Johnny can be found during every Red Sox home game in uniform (#6), either sitting in the home dugout or out on the field hitting fungoes.

Awards & Achievements

• 1946 American League All-Star
• 2-time AL At Bats Leader (1946 & 1947)
• 3-time AL Hits Leader (1942, 1946 & 1947)
• 3-time AL Singles Leader (1942, 1946 & 1947)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 6 (1942 & 1946-1950)
• 200 Hits Seasons: 3 (1942, 1946 & 1947)

Moments in the Sun

• Even though Pesky's Pole was dubbed as such in the 1950s, the phrase really didn't become popular-common knowledge to fans until the late 1980s-to-early 1990s. According to former Red Sox star Johnny Pesky, it was Sox pitcher Mel Parnell who coined the term, after Pesky hit a home run just beyond Fenway Park's right-field foul pole. That home run — one of only six homers Pesky ever hit at Fenway Park — won the game for Parnell.
• Pesky recieved a World Series ring for the 2004 Red Sox World Championship.
• May 8, 1946: Hot-hitting Boston 2B Johnny Pesky becomes the first player in American League history to score six runs in one game
• Johnny Pesky managed the Boston Red Sox for parts of the 1963, 1964, and 1980 seasons.

Managerial Record

Year    League   Team     Age  G     W    L    WP   Finish
1963 American Lg BostonRS  43   161   76   85   .472      7
1964 American Lg BostonRS  44   160   70   90   .438      8
1980 AL East     BostonRS  60     5    1    4   .200      4
     TOTAL                      326  147  179   .451

Trivia

• Was Manager of the 1961 and 1962 Seattle Rainiers
• Was Manager of the Pawtucket Red Sox for the second half of the 1980 season.
• His nickname, "Needle," was given to him by Ted Williams during their playing days in a reference to Pesky's nose.

Transactions

• Before 1940 Season: Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent.
• June 3, 1952: Traded by the Boston Red Sox with Walt Dropo, Fred Hatfield, Don Lenhardt & Bill Wight to the Detroit Tigers for Dizzy Trout, George Kell, Johnny Lipon & Hoot Evers.
• June 14, 1954: Traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Washington Senators for Mel Hoderlein.
• November 10, 1954: Released by the Washington Senators.
• December 21, 1954: Signed as a Free Agent with the Baltimore Orioles.
• April 14, 1955: Released by the Baltimore Orioles.

External Links

• TheBaseballCube.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
• Baseball Reference
• Interview by SoSH member MaurySABR