Sylvester W. Johnson, ''né'' Sylvester Johnson (December 31, 1900 – February 20, 1985) was an American

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB)

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. Johnson's career lasted from 1922 to 1940 and he played for the St. Louis Cardinals,

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

, and

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

. In an emergency, he was the third base umpire in a game between the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

and the

. He was a coach for the Phillies from 1937 to 1941. An early proponent of a pension plan for players, his proposal to Commissioner

Kenesaw Mountain Landis Kenesaw Mountain Landis (; November 20, 1866 – November 25, 1944) was an American jurist who served as a United States federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and the first Commissioner of Baseball, commissioner of baseball from 1920 until his death. ...

was rejected although a pension plan was approved in 1947. He was inducted into the

Oregon Sports Hall of Fame The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame honors Oregon athletes, teams, coaches, and others who have made a significant contribution to sports in Oregon. The first class was inducted in 1980, with new inductees added in the fall. Operated by the Oregon Sports ...

in 1981. Johnson died on February 20, 1985, aged 84, leaving his wife of 62 years, Ruth Heitsman Johnson.

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* 1900 births 1985 deaths Baseball players from Portland, Oregon Brooklyn Dodgers scouts Cincinnati Reds players Detroit Tigers players Los Angeles Dodgers scouts Major League Baseball pitchers New York Yankees scouts Philadelphia Phillies coaches Philadelphia Phillies players Portland Beavers players St. Louis Cardinals players Seattle Rainiers players Syracuse Stars (minor league baseball) players Vernon Tigers players Burials at Portland Memorial Mausoleum 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-baseball-pitcher-1900s-stub