Johnnie LeMaster

Johnnie Lee LeMaster

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 167 lb.
• High School Paintsville High School
• Debut September 2, 1975
• Final Game July 28, 1987
• Born June 19, 1954 in Portsmouth, OH USA

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Biographical Information

Playing for the San Francisco Giants, Johnnie LeMaster hit an inside-the-park home run in his first major-league at-bat, against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 2, 1975; Don Sutton was the pitcher. He also hit an inside-the-park home run for his last major league home run, as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 5, 1985.

He was so skillful as a baseball player that the Giants' faithful nicknamed him "Johnny Disaster." In his last season as a Giant, in 1985, he wore a uniform with the name "Boo" on the back, in an attempt to amuse the boo birds in the stadium. In 1985, he played for 75% (San Francisco, the Cleveland Indians, and Pittsburgh) of the last-place teams in baseball. The three teams combined to finish 127 games under .500.

In 1989, LeMaster played for the Fort Myers Sun Sox of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. He batted .267 in 8 games.

LeMaster's cousins include minor league pitcher Ron Salyer (1970-1977) and NFL linebacker Frank LeMaster.

Johnny played for the Caguas Creoles in the Puerto Rico Winter Baseball League. He had one of the most powerful and accurate throwing arms of the shortstops of his era

LeMaster is the winningest coach in Pikeville College history.

Related Sites

Pikeville College HOF