John Romano
Born: 8/23/1934 in Hoboken, NJ, USA
Died: 2/24/2019 in Naples, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1958-09-12 | Final Game: 1967-09-04
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: John Anthony Romano
Biography
John Romano was a professional baseball player born in 1934, who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 until his retirement in 1967. A versatile position player, Romano made a significant impact during his career, appearing in 905 games. He recorded 706 hits, 129 home runs, and 417 RBIs, culminating in a career batting average of .255. His contributions to the game were recognized with three All-Star selections, highlighting his status among the elite players of his time.
Playing primarily during the late 1950s through the mid-1960s, Romano was part of a transitional era in baseball that saw the sport evolving with the introduction of more powerful hitters and an increasing emphasis on offensive production. His power-hitting ability was a notable aspect of his playing style, as he combined offensive skills with solid defensive capabilities. Over the course of his career, Romano also showcased his speed on the base paths, finishing with seven stolen bases. His legacy remains as a key contributor to the teams he played for, leaving an indelible mark in the history of the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 905 | 2767 | 355 | 706 | 112 | 10 | 129 | 417 | 7 | 414 | 485 | 0.255 | 0.354 | 0.443 | 0.797 | 7957.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 53 | 126 | 20 | 37 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 23 | 18 | 0.294 | 579.9 |
| 1960 | CLE | AL | 108 | 316 | 40 | 86 | 12 | 2 | 16 | 52 | 0 | 37 | 50 | 0.272 | 935.4 |
| 1961 | CLE | AL | 142 | 509 | 76 | 152 | 29 | 1 | 21 | 80 | 0 | 61 | 60 | 0.299 | 1967.6 |
| 1962 | CLE | AL | 135 | 459 | 71 | 120 | 19 | 3 | 25 | 81 | 0 | 73 | 64 | 0.261 | 1629.6 |
| 1963 | CLE | AL | 89 | 255 | 28 | 55 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 34 | 4 | 38 | 49 | 0.216 | 82.4 |
| 1964 | CLE | AL | 106 | 352 | 46 | 85 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 47 | 2 | 51 | 83 | 0.241 | 1180.2 |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 122 | 356 | 39 | 86 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 48 | 0 | 59 | 74 | 0.242 | 1131.4 |
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 122 | 329 | 33 | 76 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 47 | 0 | 58 | 72 | 0.231 | 728.9 |
| 1967 | STL | NL | 24 | 58 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 15 | 0.121 | -277.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | WS | CHA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 810 | 771 | 4415 | 343 | 47 | 51 |
| OF | 8 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | CHA | C | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | CHA | C | 38 | 34 | 169 | 16 | 4 | 5 |
| 1960 | CLE | C | 99 | 88 | 470 | 30 | 6 | 6 |
| 1961 | CLE | C | 141 | 140 | 752 | 58 | 9 | 8 |
| 1962 | CLE | C | 130 | 128 | 657 | 63 | 7 | 6 |
| 1963 | CLE | C | 71 | 64 | 408 | 28 | 3 | 5 |
| 1963 | CLE | OF | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | CLE | C | 96 | 93 | 714 | 38 | 7 | 3 |
| 1964 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | CHA | C | 111 | 107 | 569 | 61 | 5 | 10 |
| 1965 | CHA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | CHA | OF | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | CHA | C | 102 | 96 | 552 | 46 | 4 | 7 |
| 1967 | SLN | C | 20 | 19 | 111 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 809 |
| First Base | 3 |
| Left Field | 9 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 24th | 1.0 | 280 | 0 |