The Johnstown Johnnies were a

minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

team in

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is the largest city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, it is the principal city of the Metropolitan statistical area ...

that existed in various leagues between 1883 and 2002.

History

The first Johnstown team played in 1883 in the Western Interstate League and 1884 in the Iron & Oil Association. A few years later, the Johnstown Pirates/Terrors played in the

Pennsylvania State League The Pennsylvania State League was an American minor league baseball sports league that operated from 1892 to 1895, then became the first Atlantic League (1896–1900), Atlantic League. The league member teams were exclusively based in Pennsylvania ...

. The Johnstown Mormans in 1898 played in the

New York State League The New York State League was an independent baseball league that played six seasons between 2007 and 2012 in New York State and the New York City metro area. Over 500 NYSL players have been signed by professional teams. Players from forty-eigh ...

. The first version of the team named the Johnnies played in 1904 in the independent Pennsylvania League, which merged to become the

Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball. History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The second league ...

the following year. This team moved to

Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...

during the 1912 season. The Johnnies resurfaced in the

Middle Atlantic League The Middle Atlantic League (or Mid-Atlantic League) was a lower-level circuit in United States, American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century. History The Middle Atlantic League played from 1925 in base ...

in 1925 and played continuously through 1942, when they had to temporarily suspend playing due to World War II. After the war, the team started up again in 1946 before dissolving in 1950. The

Wilkes-Barre Barons The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a basketball team from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The Barons played between 1933 and 1980 in different United States, American sports league, leagues. The team won 11 titles during this time, including while playin ...

moved to Johnstown during the 1955 season and became the latest version of the Johnnies but only lasted two seasons. In 1961, the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

had an affiliate in Johnstown named the Johnstown Red Sox. Eddie Popowski managed the team. Multiple notable players spent time with the Johnstown Red Sox, including Guido Grilli,

Bob Heffner Robert Frederic Heffner (born September 13, 1938), nicknamed "Butch", is a retired Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher with the Boston Red Sox (–), Cleveland Indians (), and California Angels (). He stood tall and weighed , in his play ...

, Jerry Mallett, Al Moran, Dave Morehead, Ted Schreiber, Pete Smith, Bill Spanswick and

Wilbur Wood Wilbur Forrester Wood Jr. (born October 22, 1941) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. In a 17-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he pitched for the Boston Red Sox (1961–64), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1964–65), and the Ch ...

. A new version of the team, known first as the Steal and then the Johnnies played in the

Frontier League The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...

from 1995 to 2002 before moving to

Florence, Kentucky Florence is a city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States, part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The population was 31,946 at the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous city in Northern Kentucky, the eighth-most populous city i ...

and becoming the Florence Freedom.

The ballpark

Johnstown teams played at Point Stadium beginning in 1926. "The Point" is still in use today after undergoing major renovations in 1995 and 2005. The stadium serves as home to the All-American Amateur Baseball Association Hall of Fame and has served as host to the AAABA Tournament since 1946. The address of Point Stadium is 100 Johns Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 15901.

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
alumni

Chief Bender Charles Albert "Chief" Bender (; May 5, 1884There is uncertainty about Bender's birth-date. He was voted the SABR "Centennial Celebrity" of 1983, as the best baseball player or figure born in 1883. However, the SABR ''Baseball Research Journal'' ...

(1926) Inducted, 1953 *

Joe Cronin Joseph Edward Cronin (October 12, 1906 – September 7, 1984) was an American professional baseball player, Manager (baseball), manager and executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop, most notably as a member of the Bost ...

(1925) Inducted, 1956

Others

Babe Adams Charles Benjamin "Babe" Adams (May 18, 1882 – July 27, 1968) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1906 to 1926 who spent nearly his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Noted for his outstanding contro ...

(1927–1928) *

Joey Amalfitano John Joseph Amalfitano (born January 23, 1934) is an American former utility infielder, manager and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played a combined ten seasons with the New York and San Francisco Giants (1954–55; 1960–61 ...

(1956) * Johnny Berardino (1937) *

Ernie Broglio Ernest Gilbert Broglio (; August 27, 1935 – July 16, 2019) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs from 1959 to 1966. After attending high school and ...

(1956) 1960 NL Wins Leader * Ripper Collins (1925–1926) 3x MLB All-Star *

Jack Fournier John Frank Fournier (September 28, 1889 – September 5, 1973) was an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Brookl ...

(1938, MGR) *

Wilbur Good Wilbur David "Lefty" Goode (September 28, 1885 – December 30, 1963) was an American outfielder for the New York Highlanders (1905), Cleveland Naps (1908–1909), Boston Doves, Boston Doves/Rustlers (1910–1911), Chicago Cubs (1911–1915), Ph ...

(1905–1906), (1930–1931, MGR) *

Hans Lobert John Bernard "Hans" Lobert (October 18, 1881 – September 14, 1968) was an American third baseman, shortstop, coach, manager and scout in Major League Baseball. Lobert was immortalized in the 1953 film '' Big Leaguer'' and in the 1966 Lawrenc ...

(1904–1905) * Mike McCormick (1955, Player/MGR) *

Eddie Mayo Edward Joseph Mayo (born Edward Joseph Mayoski; April 15, 1910 – November 27, 2006), nicknamed "Hotshot" and "Steady Eddie", was an American professional baseball player. He played as an infielder in the Major League Baseball from to , most n ...

(1934) 2 x MLB All-Star * Jack Quinn (1935, Player/MGR) * Vern Stephens (1938) 8x MLB All-Star * Valmy Thomas (1956) *

(1961) 3x MLB All-Star

References