Ernest Thorwald Johnson Sr. (June 16, 1924 – August 12, 2011) was an American professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher between 1950 and 1959. He played the majority of his career with the Boston Braves and remained with the team when they became the Milwaukee Braves in 1953. Johnson was a member of the world champion 1957 Milwaukee Braves. He played his final season with the Baltimore Orioles. After his playing career, he became a longtime television color commentator on the TBS television network. In 2001, Johnson was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame.[1] He is the father of Inside the NBA sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr.
Johnson led Western League pitchers with a .750 winning percentage while playing for the Denver Bears in 1949. He spent part of 1950 in the Eastern League and all of 1951 in the American Association before returning to the major leagues for good in 1952. He led American Association pitchers with a .789 winning percentage and an ERA of 2.62 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1951. He started 10 games for Boston in 1952 and then appeared almost exclusively in relief thereafter.
From 1953 to 1957, the first five years that the Braves were in Milwaukee, Johnson made 175 relief appearances, an average of 35 per season.
Playing for the 1957 World Series Champion Braves, Johnson had a 7–3 record and four saves in 30 games. In three World Series appearances against the New York Yankees that October he gave up only one run and two hits and one walk in seven innings, but it happened to be a game-winning home run by Hank Bauer in the seventh inning of Game 6.
Following his playing days Johnson was a longtime color commentator and play-by-play broadcaster on Braves radio and television, working from 1962 to 1999. He became an icon in Atlanta after the team moved there in 1966, and in the 1980s gained national exposure through his work with Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren on "Superstation" TBS. He was elected to the Braves' Hall of Fame on August 24, 2001. His son, Ernie Johnson Jr., worked with him on SportSouth telecasts from 1993 to 1996. The broadcast booth at Atlanta's Truist Park bears his name. In 2014, Johnson was inducted into the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame.
Deathedit
Johnson died on August 12, 2011, after a long illness.[2]
Referencesedit
^"Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame at MLB.com". mlb.com. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
^"Longtime Braves announcer Ernie Johnson dies". The Augusta Chronicle. August 12, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
Retrosheet
Vermont Sports Hall of Fame Bio
January 01, 1970
ernie, johnson, johnson, current, broadcaster, ernie, johnson, ernest, thorwald, johnson, june, 1924, august, 2011, american, professional, baseball, player, television, sports, color, commentator, played, major, league, baseball, right, handed, pitcher, betwe. For Johnson s son and current broadcaster see Ernie Johnson Jr Ernest Thorwald Johnson Sr June 16 1924 August 12 2011 was an American professional baseball player and television sports color commentator He played in Major League Baseball as a right handed pitcher between 1950 and 1959 He played the majority of his career with the Boston Braves and remained with the team when they became the Milwaukee Braves in 1953 Johnson was a member of the world champion 1957 Milwaukee Braves He played his final season with the Baltimore Orioles After his playing career he became a longtime television color commentator on the TBS television network In 2001 Johnson was inducted into the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame 1 He is the father of Inside the NBA sportscaster Ernie Johnson Jr Ernie JohnsonPitcherBorn 1924 06 16 June 16 1924Brattleboro Vermont U S Died August 12 2011 2011 08 12 aged 87 Atlanta Georgia U S Batted RightThrew RightMLB debutApril 28 1950 for the Boston BravesLast MLB appearanceSeptember 12 1959 for the Baltimore OriolesMLB statisticsWin loss record40 23Earned run average3 77Strikeouts319TeamsBoston Milwaukee Braves 1950 1952 1958 Baltimore Orioles 1959 Career highlights and awardsWorld Series champion 1957 Braves Hall of Fame Contents 1 Baseball career 2 Broadcasting career 3 Death 4 References 5 External linksBaseball career editAfter serving three years in the U S Marine Corps Johnson made his major league debut in relief on April 28 1950 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park His first big league win was also in relief coming against the New York Giants on June 30 1950 at the Polo Grounds Johnson led Western League pitchers with a 750 winning percentage while playing for the Denver Bears in 1949 He spent part of 1950 in the Eastern League and all of 1951 in the American Association before returning to the major leagues for good in 1952 He led American Association pitchers with a 789 winning percentage and an ERA of 2 62 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1951 He started 10 games for Boston in 1952 and then appeared almost exclusively in relief thereafter From 1953 to 1957 the first five years that the Braves were in Milwaukee Johnson made 175 relief appearances an average of 35 per season Playing for the 1957 World Series Champion Braves Johnson had a 7 3 record and four saves in 30 games In three World Series appearances against the New York Yankees that October he gave up only one run and two hits and one walk in seven innings but it happened to be a game winning home run by Hank Bauer in the seventh inning of Game 6 In nine seasons Johnson had a losing record only once 1955 and had an overall winning percentage of 635 Career totals include a record of 40 23 in 273 games 19 games started three complete games one shutout 119 games finished 19 saves and an ERA of 3 77 Broadcasting career editFollowing his playing days Johnson was a longtime color commentator and play by play broadcaster on Braves radio and television working from 1962 to 1999 He became an icon in Atlanta after the team moved there in 1966 and in the 1980s gained national exposure through his work with Skip Caray and Pete Van Wieren on Superstation TBS He was elected to the Braves Hall of Fame on August 24 2001 His son Ernie Johnson Jr worked with him on SportSouth telecasts from 1993 to 1996 The broadcast booth at Atlanta s Truist Park bears his name In 2014 Johnson was inducted into the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame Death editJohnson died on August 12 2011 after a long illness 2 References edit Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame at MLB com mlb com Retrieved 28 October 2020 Longtime Braves announcer Ernie Johnson dies The Augusta Chronicle August 12 2011 Retrieved August 13 2011 1955 Baseball Register published by The Sporting NewsExternal links editCareer statistics and player information from MLB or Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors Retrosheet Vermont Sports Hall of Fame Bio Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ernie Johnson Sr amp oldid 1208828258, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
