Johnny Kerr

John M. Kerr

• Throws Right

• Born ~1918 (per BR register; seems late given his career trajectory) in Hawai'i

Biographical Information

Johnny Kerr played in the minors and for the Hawai'ian national team.

Kerr was of Hawai'ian and Chinese descent. He reportedly hit a 451-foot home run against the Philadelphia Royal Giants and hit the first ball out of Honolulu Stadium. He got an offer from the Philadelphia Phillies and wound up instead with the San Francisco Seals. He was 0-1 in five games for the Seals in the 1936 PCL, going 1 for 2. Lefty O'Doul offered to farm him out to a lower club but he decided to return to his homeland.

Returning to Hawai'i, he played for the Chinese Tigers, Chinese Hawaiians and Wanderers. He was an All-Star center fielder in the Hawaii Baseball League in 1940, joining Hans Pung and George Indie in the outfield. He was on the Hawai'ian squad in the 1940 Amateur World Series. He was not the only former pro in the event or even on the Hawai'ian team, which included former Japanese Professional Baseball League hurler Herbert North and ex-minor leaguer Pat Gleason while the US had Lou Athanas. It was an issue throughout the period, with Cuban teams especially decrying the practice, getting Mexico kicked out of the 1935 Central American and Caribbean Games for using Mexican Leaguers (though Mexico got away with it despite the same complaint in 1938).

In 1938 he was hitting .167 for the Wanderers as of August 6th. In 1940 he tied for the Hawaii League lead in home runs and RBIs. In 1943 he hit .306 for the Wanderers, in 121 at-bats, and in 1946 he hit .306 in 36 at-bats for the Wanderers.