John Anderson (anderjo02)

John Charles Anderson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
• School University of Minnesota
• Debut August 17, 1958
• Final Game June 23, 1962
• Born November 23, 1929 in St. Paul, MN USA
• Born December 20, 1998 in Houston, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

John Anderson was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1952. He spent his first year in pro ball in the class C Pioneer League with the Salt Lake City Bees. His initial year saw him post a 14-9 record in 32 appearances, pitching 205 innings and posting a 2.81 ERA. In 1954 he spent the summer with the class B Three-I League Terre Haute Phillies. He was 18-11 in 34 games, pitching 231 innings for a 3.31 ERA.

John spent time in the class A Eastern League with the Schenectady Blue Jays where he posted a 3 won, 5 loss record for part of 1954, and wound up going 10-1 with the class A Western International League Spokane Indians in a very good finish, with a 1.95 ERA.

1955 saw John go 8-8 with the Reidsville Phillies of the class B Carolina League, appearing in 23 games, pitching 151 innings and putting up a 3.34 ERA. He also spent one game with the International League Syracuse Chiefs with no decision.

Anderson spent 1956 through 1958 with four different minor league clubs before getting his first taste of the major leagues with the Phillies in 1958. He appeared in five games, pitching 16 innings with no decisions.

Before the 1959 season he was sent to the Miami Marlins of the International League by the Phillies and when the team concluded a working agreement with the Baltimore Orioles, he joined that organization in 1959. He spent that year with the Marlins, going 12-9 in 30 games, pitching 204 innings and chalking up a 2.74 ERA.

The Orioles carried him on their roster for four games and four innings in 1960 although he spent the bulk of the season with Miami with a not-too-impressive 2-10 record and a 5.29 ERA. He spent the next year, 1961, with the Rochester Red Wings, going 14-9 in 33 games, pitching 195 innings with a 3.65 ERA.

On November 27, 1961, Anderson was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Orioles in the 1961 Rule V Draft. The following May 7th, he was traded by the Cardinals with Carl Warwick to the Houston Colt .45's for Bobby Shantz. John played in the major leagues for five games and six innings with the Cardinals and ten games and 18 innings for the Colt .45's in 1962, his last taste of the big leagues. As things go, John made three passes at the major leagues, he was to never win a game.... but then he never lost one either. He appeared in 24 games, pitching 44 2/3 innings and had a 6.45 ERA.

From 1962 through 1967, John spent the rest of his professional baseball career in the minor leagues, playing with five teams in three leagues, winning 34 games and losing 44. Overall John's record in the minors was very credible. He won 138 games, lost 126, appeared in 448, pitching in 2,244 innings and winding up with a solid 3.81 ERA. He also suited up for 16 years, from 1952 through 1967.

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
SABR Minor League Database
Baseball-Reference.com