Johnny Barrett

John Joseph Barrett
(Jack)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 170 lb.
• High School Lowell (MA) High School
• Debut April 14, 1942
• Final Game September 26, 1946
• Born December 18, 1915 in Lowell, MA USA
• Died August 17, 1974 in Seabrook Beach, NH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Johnny Barrett spent fourteen seasons in professional baseball from 1937 to 1951. He spent five of those seasons in the Major Leagues from 1942 to 1946. Barrett had three good seasons in the minors before getting his big league opportunity.

In 1937, his first year, he had his highest batting average when he hit .378 and slugged .601 with 13 home runs for the Mansfield Red Sox of the Class D Ohio State League. He led the league in both runs scored (97) and hits (129). T he following season, Johnny batted .301 in 521 at-bats for the Hazleton Red Sox of the Class A Eastern League. In 1941, he hit .313 in 517 at-bats for the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. On September 10, 1941 Johnny was purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates from Hollywood.

Johnny made his Major League debut with the Pirates on April 14, 1942, and immediately broke into the starting lineup, staying there until 1946. Regarded as one of the fastest runners in baseball, Barrett led the 1944 NL with 28 stolen bases and 19 triples. He received votes for both the 1944 and 1945 National League Most Valuable Player Award. In 1946, he suffered a knee injury and was traded to the Boston Braves on June 12th, for Chuck Workman. 1947 found Johnny back in the Pacific Coast League with the San Diego Padres. Barrett had one more good season, in 1948, when he hit .339 with 14 homers for the Padres. He retired from baseball in 1951 at the age of 35.

Barrett was a salesman for a brewery from 1951 to 1961, when he was appointed superintendent of the Essex County, Massachusetts Training School, a job he held until his sudden death on August 17, 1974 at his summer home in Seabrook Beach, NH. He was 58 years of age.

Notable Achievements

• NL Triples Leader (1944)
• NL Stolen Bases Leader (1944)

Related Sites

• Johnny Barrett at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page