Johnny Lipon, baseball player, 1942-1954

Johnny Lipon

Born: 11/10/1922 in Martins Ferry, OH, USA

Died: 8/17/1998 in Houston, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1942-08-16 | Final Game: 1954-04-25

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: John Joseph Lipon

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Biography

Johnny Lipon was a professional baseball player born in 1922, whose career spanned from 1942 until his retirement on April 25, 1954. Primarily known as a position player, Lipon made a significant impact on the game during the post-war years, a time when baseball was regaining its popularity and integrating new talent. He played a total of 758 games in Major League Baseball, accumulating 690 hits, 10 home runs, and 266 RBIs, with a career batting average of .259. In addition to his offensive contributions, Lipon showcased his speed on the basepaths, recording 28 stolen bases throughout his career. Lipon was known for his versatility and defensive skills, which allowed him to play multiple infield positions effectively. His playing style reflected the evolving nature of baseball during his era, as teams began to value speed and agility alongside traditional hitting prowess. Despite not being a household name, Lipon's contributions to the teams he played for, including the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees, helped solidify his legacy in the annals of the sport. His career encapsulated a transformative period in baseball history, bridging the gap between the pre-World War II era and the modern game that followed.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
758 2661 351 690 95 24 10 266 28 347 152 0.259 0.346 0.324 0.671 -2758.8

Career AVG .259 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .346 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .324 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — 14.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.671 vs. league average 0.713 across their career seasons — 6.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1942 DET AL 34 131 5 25 2 0 0 9 1 7 7 0.191 .253 (-25%) .323 (-28%) .349 (-41%) .672 (-35%) -732.5
1946 DET AL 14 20 4 6 0 0 0 1 0 5 3 0.300 — — — — 0.0
1948 DET AL 121 458 65 133 18 8 5 52 4 68 22 0.290 .263 (+10%) .340 (+13%) .379 (+5%) .719 (+9%) 938.7
1949 DET AL 127 439 57 110 14 6 3 59 2 75 24 0.251 .262 (-5%) .343 (+5%) .384 (-14%) .727 (-5%) -226.8
1950 DET AL 147 601 104 176 27 6 2 63 9 81 26 0.293 .265 (+10%) .346 (+9%) .401 (-8%) .747 (avg) 158.1
1951 DET AL 129 487 56 129 15 1 0 38 7 49 27 0.265 .260 (+2%) .336 (-1%) .385 (-22%) .721 (-12%) -1054.3
1952 DET AL 39 136 17 30 4 2 0 12 3 16 6 0.221 .252 (-13%) .326 (-7%) .369 (-24%) .696 (-16%) -359.0
1952 BOS AL 79 234 25 48 8 1 0 18 1 32 20 0.205 .252 (-19%) .326 (-8%) .369 (-33%) .696 (-21%) -359.0
1953 BOS AL 60 145 18 31 7 0 0 13 1 14 16 0.214 .264 (-19%) .335 (-16%) .397 (-34%) .733 (-26%) -662.6
1953 SLA AL 7 9 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.222 — — — — -662.6
1954 CIN NL 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 2 0 4 0 0 0
3B 15 0 5 17 1 2
SS 717 0 1350 2143 140 481

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1942 DET SS 34 0 85 103 11 24
1946 DET 3B 1 0 0 1 0 0
1946 DET SS 8 0 14 14 2 5
1948 DET 2B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1948 DET 3B 1 0 1 1 0 0
1948 DET SS 117 0 211 346 17 63
1949 DET SS 120 0 240 364 22 92
1950 DET SS 147 0 273 483 33 126
1951 DET SS 125 0 244 364 33 80
1952 DET SS 39 0 80 101 4 12
1952 BOS 3B 7 0 4 11 1 2
1952 BOS SS 69 0 118 218 6 53
1953 BOS SS 58 0 85 150 12 26
1953 SLA 2B 1 0 4 0 0 0
1953 SLA 3B 6 0 0 4 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 2
Third Base 15
Shortstop 717