Random Wednesday: Fred Johnson
January 30, 2008 by Geoff Young
Filed under News
Here’s a fun one. Fred Johnson was a right-hander who pitched for the New York Giants and the St. Louis Browns in the ’20s and ’30s.
Johnson pitched in a total of 27 big-league games, fashioning a 5-10 record with a 5.26 ERA. Here’s what makes his career fun: His debut came in 1922, at age 28. He made two starts for the Giants that year, and three more appearances the next.
Johnson didn’t return to the big leagues until 1938, at age 44. He split time between the rotation and bullpen for the Browns that season and the next before retiring. Johnson played alongside several Hall of Famers during his career, including Casey Stengel, Dave Bancroft, Travis Jackson, Ross Youngs, Frankie Frisch, Hack Wilson, George “Highpockets” Kelly, and Bill Terry.
Between his big-league stints, Johnson pitched for the New Orleans Pelicans in the early-’30s. Johnson’s nickname was “Cactus” and his favorite pitch was a “butterfly ball,” believed to be a slow slider.
Now you know…
