John Russell (russejo01)

John Albert Russell

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.

• Debut July 4, 1917
• Final Game May 2, 1922
• Born October 20, 1894 in San Mateo, CA USA
• Died November 19, 1930 in Ely, NV USA

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Biographical Information

John Russell put up a batting line of .367/.424/433 during 21 games in the majors in 1917-18 and 1921-22, which is pretty impressive for a pitcher. His hurling wasn't as effective, with an ERA of 5.40.

John was with the Vancouver Beavers in 1916 and most of 1917, coming to the majors for five games with the Brooklyn Robins in 1917 and one more in 1918. Although the Robins won the pennant in 1916 and 1920, both the 1917 and 1918 teams were under .500. Russell spent some of 1918 with the Rochester Hustlers.

After going 17-16 in the minors in 1920, he spent most of 1921 with the Sioux City Packers, going 11-10, before coming to the Chicago White Sox in August. The eleven games he pitched for the White Sox were the most appearances he had in any one year in the bigs. He was back the next year for four games with the White Sox, but spent most of the season in the minors with the Kansas City Blues and the Tulsa Oilers. Statistics are not complete, but he seemed to have been a decent hitter in the minors as well.

He died young, at age 36, in Ely, NV.

This John Russell, whose full name was John Albert Russell, is not to be confused with the later John Russell, a position player and manager whose full name is John William Russell. Neither of them is the same as the basketball player John "Honey" Russell, who also did some scouting for baseball teams.