Johnny Podgajny

John Sigmund Podgajny
(Specs)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 173 lb.
• High School Chester (PA) High School
• Debut September 15, 1940
• Final Game May 13, 1946
• Born June 10, 1920 in Chester, PA USA
• Died March 2, 1971 in Chester, PA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Johnny Podgajny was 22 and married when World War II started and was classified 4F by Selective Service for vision problems. He was with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1940 until June 15, 1943 when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Dutch Dietz, by the now named Philadelphia Blue Jays.

He spent the remaining war seasons in the minors, with his only other big league time coming in 1946, when he made six appearances for the Cleveland Indians, with no decisions. His major league records are taken from all or parts of five seasons and he chalked up a 20-37 record and a 4.20 ERA in 115 games during this time.

Johnny also spent nine years in the minors between the 1939 through 1950 seasons. He had five double-digit winning years during this run, with his two best years coming in 1940 when he went 18-7 with a 2.57 ERA for the Ottawa-Ogdensburg Senators of the class C Canadian-American League and in 1945 when he came up with a 20-11 record and a 3.78 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles of the AA International League.

He finished up his minor league run in 1950 with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association at 30 years of age with a 104-80 record and a 3.76 ERA while pitching 1,396 innings.

After baseball Johnny switched from job to job, sometimes working in sales, and at one time worked in a steel plant. He suffered a heart attack and died on March 2, 1971 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Chester, PA.

Related Sites

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