Johnny Briggs

Note: This page is for outfielder Johnny Briggs; for pitcher John Briggs, click here.

John Edward Briggs

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.
• School Seton Hall University
• High School East Side High School (Paterson, NJ)
• Debut April 17, 1964
• Final Game September 28, 1975
• Born March 10, 1944 in Paterson, NJ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

“Aside from Larry Doby, Johnny was the greatest athlete to come through Paterson... He’s regarded very highly as a ballplayer and a person, probably more important as a person.” - Bill LaSala, Paterson Little League, 2008

Lefty-swinging Johnny Briggs came up originally with the Philadelphia Phillies but enjoyed his greatest success upon being dealt to the Milwaukee Brewers, enjoying back to back 21 home run seasons in 1971 and 1972. His brightest season may have been 1973, when he slashed .246/.361/.426 with 18 home runs and a personal best 87 walks. On August 4, 1973, Johnny led off for the Crew in Cleveland and finished 6-for-6 on the day with two doubles and two runs scored in a 9-4 victory. He ended his career with a season in Minnesota, having swatted 1,041 hits and 137 home runs in twelve seasons.

Notable Achievements

• 20-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1971 & 1972)

Further Reading

• John T. Saccoman: "Johnny Briggs", in Mel Marmer and Bill Nowlin, eds.: The Year of Blue Snow: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2013, pp. 52-56. ISBN 978-1-933599-51-9

Related Sites

• John Briggs at the SABR Bio Project