John Carden

John Bruton Carden

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 210 lb.
• School Texas A&M University
• Debut May 18, 1946
• Final Game May 18, 1946
• Born May 19, 1921 in Killeen, TX USA
• Died February 8, 1949 in Mexia, TX USA

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Biographical Information

John Carden made one appearance in the big leagues with the New York Giants in 1946.

John was one of 12 children (three died in infancy) born to parents who owned a 460-acre farm on land that is now Fort Hood. His older brother, Weldon (Red), was a catcher on the 1941 and 1943 Texas A&M varsity teams, and John lettered in baseball with them in 1942 and 1943. That team also contained another future major leaguer, Les Peden, who played third base behind John. Peden indicated that Carden was the best athlete he saw at Texas A&M. John was known alternately by his initials, J.B., and "Smokey" in college. A 1942 Aggie newspaper mentioned that John "has been smoking that fastball of his by many would-be hitters." Former Aggie teammate Ira Glass remembers him as a "big ol' boy who could throw that aspirin."

He pitched his sole major league game on May 18, 1946, in the Polo Grounds against the Chicago Cubs. On a cold and drizzly day, when the reigning National League champions had already scored 12 runs against the Giants before he entered the game, he was given the chore of handling the Cubs in the 8th and 9th innings. Displaying the control problems of a big fastballer, he gave up four walks and four hits in two innings, leaving the game without a decision but with an ERA of 22.50.

Carden was slated to play for Minneapolis in 1949. He spent the offseason working on his father-in-law's farm near his home in Mexia, TX. On February 8th, he was making final preparations to leave Mexia and report to spring training. Not wanting to leave his wife and her parents without telephone service, he ascended a power and telephone pole on the farm in order to fix a broken telephone line. In those days, it was standard practice for the owners of rural telephone hookups to be responsible for repairing their own lines. He had made such repairs before, but this time he accidentally touched a 2,300-volt rural electric power line, and was electrocuted, dead at 27.

Related Sites

• John Carden at the SABR Bio Project