Johnny Gorsica

John Joseph Perry Gorsica
born John Joseph Perry Gorczyca

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.
• School West Virginia University
• Debut April 22, 1940
• Final Game September 17, 1947
• Born March 29, 1915 in Bayonne, NJ USA
• Died December 16, 1998, in Charlottesville, VA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Johnny Gorsica was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1937. He played his first of thirteen seasons in profesional ball with the Beckley Bengals of the class D Mountain State League as a first baseman. Johnny had a good opening season, hitting at a .299 clip in 93 games, but for whatever reason, the Tigers organization converted Gorsica to pitching after that debut year.

The right-hander went 18-7 in his second season with the Beckley club and remained on the mound, and with the Detroit organization, for the rest of his baseball career. There was probably some second-guessing in Gorsica's next season out as he fell to a 9-17 record with a 3.94 ERA in1939.

After spending his first three seasons in the minors (1937-1939), Johnny got his first chance at the major league game when he debuted with the Tigers on April 22, 1940. Gorsica appeared in 29 games and went 7-7 with a 4.33 ERA in the pennant-winning season. He appeared in two games during the 1940 World Series against the National League Cincinnati Reds, pitching 11 innings, allowing one run and had no decisions as the Reds won the series, 4 games to 3.

Gorsica spent the next four years (1941-1944) with the Detroit team and the 1945 season with the United States Navy during World War II, thus missing a return engagement in the World Series. He returned to the Tigers in 1946, appearing in just 14 games with no decisions. Johnny ended his major league run in 1947, with a 2-0 year, that gave him a big league career record of 31-39 with a 4.18 ERA, while appearing in 204 games.

Gorsica spent three more years in the minors (1948-1950), all in the Pacific Coast League, with the Seattle Rainiers, Hollywood Stars and San Diego Padres, respectively. He had a combined 14-16 record that gave him a 41-40 career record in the minors, this also gave him a 3.75 ERA while appearing in 112 games. Johnny hit very well in the minors, ending up with a .280 batting average and 15 home runs.

John Joseph Perry Gorsica was retired in Charlottesville, VA, when he died at the age of 83 on December 16, 1998

Related Sites

• BR Minors page