Stanley Johnson (minors02)

John Stanley Johnson, Jr.

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 165 lb.

• School Wake Forest College

• Born ~1931
• Died December 27, 2015 in Greensboro, NC USA

BR register page

Biographical Information

Stanley Johnson pitched as high as AAA but never made the majors.

Johnson was at Wake Forest when their team was sent to be Team USA at the 1951 Pan American Games. He was a big part of their Silver Medal run, leading all pitchers in wins (3-0; the rest of the US staff was 2-2), strikeouts (25) and IP (30). He was the first US pitcher to lead an international tournament in wins. He turned pro after signing with the New York Yankees.

The right-hander was 12-12 with a 3.77 ERA for the 1952 Norfolk Tars. On August 19, he threw a five-inning no-hitter against the Roanoke Ro-Sox. He improved to 13-8, 3.16 in '53 for Norfolk. He was 15-11 with a 3.83 ERA for the 1954 Montgomery Rebels. He tied Cal Howe for 5th in the South Atlantic League in wins. He split 1955 between the Savannah A's (2-5, 3.98) and Winston-Salem Twins (8-2, 2.93).

In 1956, Johnson moved full-time to relief and went 9-9 with a 2.27 ERA in 53 games for the Birmingham Barons in AA. He spent most of 1957 with the New Orleans Pelicans )7-9, 3.87) and got his first look at AAA with the Richmond Virginians (1-1 in 4 G). He had a full year in AAA with the 1958 Denver Bears but struggled in the thin air (4-2, 7.40 in 45 G, 106 H in 75 IP). Back with New Orleans in 1959, he was 11-12 with a 4.20 ERA. He wound down his career by going 1-3 for the 1960 Little Rock Travelers.

He had gone 83-74 in 335 games pitched in the professional ranks.

He later was a pastor in Greensboro, NC.