Johnny Wyrostek
Encyclopedia
John Barney Wyrostek was a center fielder
and right fielder
mostly, who played in the MLB
from 1942
through 1954
. He was born in Fairmont City, Illinois
and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals
out of high school
. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed.
After a brief stint in the Army
, Wyrostek became an everyday player with the 1946
Phillies.
Wyrostek averaged 8 homers a year in his career, and had only one season in which he hit over 10. In , he had a total of 17 home runs with another career-high, 76 RBIs, which he would tie later. His 7 stolen base
s on the year was also a career-high tie.
In , he had a very solid season, hitting .285 with 8 homers and 76 RBIs with the Reds. On September 4 of the year, Wyrostek drove in 8 of the Reds' 13 runs in a doubleheader
sweep of the visiting Cardinals. The Reds won 5-4, and then 8-4.
By , Johnny was an accomplished good-hitting outfielder
who averaged about a .266 batting average. But that year, his batting average syrocketed to .311. While his power numbers went down (2 HR, 61 RBIs), his batting average was good for 6th in the league and his 167 hits
was 10th. He made his second and final All-Star team
.
In an 11-season career played with the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Philadelphia Phillies
, and Cincinnati Reds
, Wyrostek batted
.271 with 58 home run
s and 481 RBIs in 1221 games. He had 525 runs scored with 33 stolen bases and a solid .349 on-base percentage. He had 1149 hits with 209 doubles
and 45 triples
in his 4240 at bat
s.
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
mostly, who played in the MLB
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from 1942
1942 in sports
1942 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:...
through 1954
1954 in sports
1954 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Cleveland Browns win 56-10 over the Detroit Lions* Ohio State Buckeyes - college football champions.-Artistic gymnastics:* 1954 World Championships...
. He was born in Fairmont City, Illinois
Fairmont City, Illinois
Fairmont City is a village in St. Clair and Madison Counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,436 at the 2000 census. Fairmont City holds the highest percentage of Hispanics in the entire St...
and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
out of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed.
After a brief stint in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Wyrostek became an everyday player with the 1946
1946 in sports
-American football:* All-America Football Conference begins play. Cleveland Browns win the championship by beating New York Yankees 14-9.* Chicago Bears win the NFL crown by defeating the New York Giants 24-14 in New York.-Association football:England...
Phillies.
Wyrostek averaged 8 homers a year in his career, and had only one season in which he hit over 10. In , he had a total of 17 home runs with another career-high, 76 RBIs, which he would tie later. His 7 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s on the year was also a career-high tie.
In , he had a very solid season, hitting .285 with 8 homers and 76 RBIs with the Reds. On September 4 of the year, Wyrostek drove in 8 of the Reds' 13 runs in a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
sweep of the visiting Cardinals. The Reds won 5-4, and then 8-4.
By , Johnny was an accomplished good-hitting outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who averaged about a .266 batting average. But that year, his batting average syrocketed to .311. While his power numbers went down (2 HR, 61 RBIs), his batting average was good for 6th in the league and his 167 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
was 10th. He made his second and final All-Star team
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
.
In an 11-season career played with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Wyrostek batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.271 with 58 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 481 RBIs in 1221 games. He had 525 runs scored with 33 stolen bases and a solid .349 on-base percentage. He had 1149 hits with 209 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 45 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in his 4240 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s.
External links
- Johnny Wyrostek at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...