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1961 Topps #24, Ken Johnson
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Ken Johnson's 1961 Topps #24 baseball card is shown here, both front and back: http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/024_Johnson-a.jpg http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/024_Johnson-b.jpg Ken came up briefly with the Kansas City Athletics in 1958, but was sent back to the minors. The Athletics brought him back at the end of '59, but it wasn't until 1960 that the big right hander got a real chance to pitch in the big leagues. In a mostly relief role, Ken won 5 and lost 10 in 1960, with an ERA of 4.26, for the last place Athletics. In 1961, the year of this card, he only pitched a little over 9 innings stretched over 6 games for Kansas City, and was traded to the Reds in July. Good news for Ken, because the Reds won the pennant in '61, even though Ken just barely made an appearance in the series. At the end of the '61 season, Ken was taken by the Houston Colt .45's in the expansion draft and went 7-16, with an ERA of 3.84 in 1962. He threw 178 strikeouts this year, 6th in the league. In '63, even though he went 11-17, he had a very nice 2.65 ERA, 10th best in the league. In April of 1964 Ken threw a complete game 9 inning no-hitter against his old team the Reds. The only problem was, he lost the game 1-0. With one out in the 9th, Pete Rose laid down a bunt in front of the plate. Ken had to hurry the play, and threw what he called, "...a perfect sinker, low and away" to Pete Runnels, who couldn't reach it. Chico Ruiz then hit a ball off of Ken's shin to Bob Aspromonte at third. Bob threw out Chico at first, but it moved Pete Rose to third. Then Vada Pinson hit a grounder to Nellie Fox who bobbled it, and missed the out at first, allowing Rose to score. Early in the 1965 season, Ken was traded to the Braves. This would be the first year he won more games than he lost. From 1965 through 1967 his record was 16-10, 14-8, 13-9, and in 1967 he would post a very good 2.74 ERA, 8th best in the league. Ken played with the Braves until June of 1969 when he was sold to the Yankees, then later in the season to the Cubs, never getting much playing time. He finished his Major League career with the Expos in 1970. Ken's lifetime ERA was 3.46. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Wade |
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