Former Brooklyn Dodger Johnny Schmitz Dies at 90
From SABR member Nick Diunte at Examiner.com on October 8, 2011:
Johnny Schmitz, a former pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers, passed away last week at the age of 90 in his hometown of Wassau, Wis.
Born November 27, 1920, Schmitz entered pro ball in 1938 at the age of 17 with Class D Hopkinsville of the Cleveland Indians organization. Earning a reputation for his sharp curveball, which fellow Dodgers hurler Rex Barney noted, “He could drop it in a coffee cup,” Schmitz earned a call to the big leagues only three years later with the Chicago Cubs.
Schmitz’s career was interrupted by his Naval service in World War II from 1943-45. Returning for the 1946 season, Schmitz didn’t lose a step, making the All-Star team and leading the National League in strikeouts. This would be the first of Schmitz’s two All-Star appearances, the other coming in 1948.
Read the full article here: http://www.examiner.com/baseball-history-in-new-york/johnny-schmitz-former-brooklyn-dodger-passes-away-at-90
Originally published: October 10, 2011. Last Updated: October 10, 2011.