Johnny Gooch
Encyclopedia
John Beverley Gooch (November 9, 1897 – March 15, 1975) was catcher
who played in Major League Baseball
between and through . Gooch was a switch-hitter with a hysterical name. He was born in Smyrna, Tennessee
.
A slick-fielding catcher, Gooch reached the majors in 1921 with the Pittsburgh Pirates
, spending six and a half years with them before moving to the Brooklyn Robins
(1928–29), Cincinnati Reds
(1929–30) and Boston Red Sox
(1933). His most productive season came in 1922 with the Pirates, when he posted a career-high .329 batting average
and collected an extra-inning six-hit game, two four-hit games, and eight three-hit games. While in Pittsburgh, he was a member of the 1925 World Champion
team and also appeared in the 1927 World Series
swept by the New York Yankees
in four games.
In an 11-season career, Gooch was a .280 hitter with seven home run
s and 293 RBI
s in 805 games played
.
Following his playing career, Gooch became a successful manager
in the minors
and also coached
for Pittsburgh in 1937 and 1938. After retiring from baseball management, Gooch opened a baseball bat factory in Nashville.
Gooch died in Nashville, Tennessee
, at the age of 77.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
who played in Major League Baseball
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...
between and through . Gooch was a switch-hitter with a hysterical name. He was born in Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna, Tennessee
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. Smyrna's population was 25,569 people at the 2000 census. The Census estimate of the 2009 population is 39,142.-Geography:Smyrna is located at ....
.
A slick-fielding catcher, Gooch reached the majors in 1921 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...
, spending six and a half years with them before moving to the Brooklyn Robins
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1928–29), 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....
(1929–30) and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1933). His most productive season came in 1922 with the Pirates, when he posted a career-high .329 batting average
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 :...
and collected an extra-inning six-hit game, two four-hit games, and eight three-hit games. While in Pittsburgh, he was a member of the 1925 World Champion
1925 World Series
In the 1925 World Series, the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the defending champion Washington Senators in seven games.In a reversal of fortune on all counts from the previous 1924 World Series, when Washington's Walter Johnson had come back from two losses to win the seventh and deciding game, Johnson...
team and also appeared in the 1927 World Series
1927 World Series
In the 1927 World Series, the New York Yankees swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in four games. This was the first sweep of a National League team by an American League team....
swept by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in four games.
In an 11-season career, Gooch was a .280 hitter with seven 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 293 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
s in 805 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
Following his playing career, Gooch became a successful manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in the minors
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
and also coached
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for Pittsburgh in 1937 and 1938. After retiring from baseball management, Gooch opened a baseball bat factory in Nashville.
Gooch died in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, at the age of 77.