Johnny Pesky, baseball player, 1942-1954

Johnny Pesky

Born: 2/27/1919 in Portland, OR, USA

Died: 8/13/2012 in Danvers, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1942-04-14 | Final Game: 1954-09-24

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 168 lbs

Full name: John Michael Pesky

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Biography

Johnny Pesky was a notable American professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1942 to 1954. Born in 1919, he played primarily as a position player for the Boston Red Sox, where he became a beloved figure in the franchise's history. Over the course of his career, Pesky participated in 1,270 games, amassing 1,455 hits and finishing with a commendable batting average of .307. He demonstrated consistent offensive production with 404 RBIs and 17 home runs, while also showcasing his speed on the bases with 53 stolen bases. His performance earned him a spot in the 1946 All-Star Game, highlighting his status as one of the premier players of his era. Pesky's playing style was characterized by his keen batting eye and ability to make contact, which contributed to his high batting average. As a player during the post-World War II era, he contributed to the revitalization of Major League Baseball, which was experiencing a surge in popularity. Known for his strong defensive skills and leadership on the field, Pesky left a lasting legacy with the Red Sox, later becoming a coach and broadcaster for the team. His connection to Boston and its baseball history solidified his status as a cherished figure in the sport, with his contributions extending beyond his playing days.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1270 4745 867 1455 226 50 17 404 53 662 218 0.307 0.394 0.386 0.780 11421.9

Career AVG .307 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — +17.8% above league average.

Career OBP .394 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — +17.7% above league average.

Career SLG .386 vs. league average .378 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.780 vs. league average 0.713 across their career seasons — +9.4% above 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 BOS AL 147 620 105 205 29 9 2 51 12 42 36 0.331 .253 (+30%) .323 (+16%) .349 (+19%) .672 (+18%) 2000.9
1946 BOS AL 153 621 115 208 43 4 2 55 9 65 29 0.335 .256 (+30%) .328 (+22%) .358 (+19%) .687 (+20%) 2614.6
1947 BOS AL 155 638 106 207 27 8 0 39 12 72 22 0.324 .262 (+24%) .336 (+17%) .376 (+4%) .712 (+10%) 1490.5
1948 BOS AL 143 565 124 159 26 6 3 55 3 99 32 0.281 .263 (+7%) .340 (+16%) .379 (-4%) .719 (+5%) 1038.6
1949 BOS AL 148 604 111 185 27 7 2 69 8 100 19 0.306 .262 (+17%) .343 (+19%) .384 (avg) .727 (+9%) 1502.0
1950 BOS AL 127 490 112 153 22 6 1 49 2 104 31 0.312 .265 (+17%) .346 (+26%) .401 (-3%) .747 (+10%) 1600.9
1951 BOS AL 131 480 93 150 20 6 3 41 2 84 15 0.312 .260 (+20%) .336 (+24%) .385 (+3%) .721 (+13%) 1609.3
1952 BOS AL 25 67 10 10 2 0 0 2 0 15 5 0.149 .252 (-41%) .326 (-4%) .369 (-52%) .696 (-29%) -263.6
1952 DET AL 69 177 26 45 4 0 1 9 1 41 11 0.254 .252 (+1%) .326 (+21%) .369 (-21%) .696 (-1%) -263.6
1953 DET AL 103 308 43 90 22 1 2 24 3 27 10 0.292 .264 (+11%) .335 (+5%) .397 (-2%) .733 (+1%) 89.3
1954 DET AL 20 17 5 3 0 0 1 1 0 3 1 0.176 — — — — 0.0
1954 WSN AL 49 158 17 40 4 3 0 9 1 10 7 0.253 .261 (-3%) .333 (-11%) .390 (-19%) .723 (-15%) 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
7 30 2 7 0 0 0 0 1 3 0.233

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1946 WS BOS 7 30 2 7 0 0 0 0 1 3 0.233

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 137 35 290 321 9 86
3B 460 0 522 983 58 121
SS 591 0 1175 1810 111 387

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1942 BOS SS 147 0 320 465 37 94
1946 BOS SS 153 0 296 479 25 96
1947 BOS 3B 22 0 25 38 1 7
1947 BOS SS 133 0 251 391 16 90
1948 BOS 3B 141 0 121 303 22 35
1949 BOS 3B 148 0 184 333 16 48
1950 BOS 3B 116 0 160 257 11 29
1950 BOS SS 8 0 23 32 2 7
1951 BOS 2B 5 0 5 11 0 3
1951 BOS 3B 11 0 14 19 4 2
1951 BOS SS 106 0 204 340 22 74
1952 BOS 3B 19 0 16 28 4 0
1952 BOS SS 2 0 3 2 0 1
1952 DET 2B 22 0 27 36 2 12
1952 DET 3B 3 0 2 5 0 0
1952 DET SS 41 0 78 101 9 25
1953 DET 2B 73 0 166 183 3 49
1954 WS1 2B 37 35 92 91 4 22
1954 WS1 SS 1 0 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 140
Third Base 459
Shortstop 589

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1946 TSN All-Star SS
1942 TSN All-Star SS

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1951 Most Valuable Player AL 26th 5.0 336 0
1947 Most Valuable Player AL 18th 11.0 336 0
1946 Most Valuable Player AL 4th 141.0 336 2
1942 Most Valuable Player AL 3rd 143.0 336 2