Ken Johnson
Born: 1/14/1923 in Topeka, KS, USA
Died: 4/6/2004 in Wichita, KS, USA
MLB Debut: 1947-09-18 | Final Game: 1952-07-15
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Kenneth Wandersee Johnson
Biography
Ken Johnson was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1947 to 1952. Born in 1923, Johnson made his debut during a transformative era in the sport, shortly after World War II, when the game was beginning to see a resurgence in popularity. He played for several teams throughout his career, ultimately finishing with a record of 12 wins and 14 losses. Over the course of his time in the league, Johnson maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 4.58 and struck out a total of 147 batters, showcasing his ability to compete at the highest level.
Despite not achieving accolades such as saves or All-Star selections, Johnson's contributions as a pitcher were significant during an era marked by evolving playing styles and strategies. His experience on the mound reflected the challenges faced by pitchers of his time, navigating a league that was increasingly characterized by powerful hitters and strategic gameplay. Johnson's career, which concluded with his departure from the majors on July 15, 1952, remains a testament to the dedication and skill required to succeed in professional baseball.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 14 | 74 | 34 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 269.3 | 251 | 137 | 14 | 195 | 147 | 4.58 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | STL | NL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0.00 | - |
| 1948 | STL | NL | 2 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45.3 | 43 | 24 | 30 | 20 | 4.76 | - |
| 1949 | STL | NL | 0 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.7 | 29 | 24 | 35 | 18 | 6.42 | - |
| 1950 | PHI | NL | 4 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 60.7 | 61 | 27 | 43 | 32 | 4.01 | 16.9 |
| 1950 | STL | NL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.00 | - |
| 1951 | PHI | NL | 5 | 8 | 20 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 106.3 | 103 | 54 | 68 | 58 | 4.57 | -896.6 |
| 1952 | DET | AL | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 6.35 | -278.9 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | 89 | 17 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 0.213 | 0.231 | 0.247 | 0.478 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | STL | NL | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | STL | NL | 20 | 20 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.300 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | STL | NL | 21 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | PHI | NL | 21 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.158 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | STL | NL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | PHI | NL | 36 | 35 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | DET | AL | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | WS | PHI | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 74 | 0 | 7 | 54 | 3 | 5 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | SLN | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948 | SLN | P | 13 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949 | SLN | P | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 1950 | PHI | P | 14 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1950 | SLN | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951 | PHI | P | 20 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 4 |
| 1952 | DET | P | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 74 |