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Johnny was the youngest of the "Cranston Cooneys," a(k-h)h)h)Rhode Island ballplaying dynasty begun in the 1890s by James Joseph Cooney, whose four sons all played pro ball. Two brothers never got to the majors, but Johnny had two careers. As a pitcher who occasionally played first base or outfield, he had moderate success with the Braves in the 1920s. A sore arm forced him to give up pitching; after a four-year absence from the majors and an American Association batting title, he joined Casey Stengel's Dodgers in 1935. Cooney's best averages as a regular came with the Stengel-managed Braves, .318 in 1940 and .319 in 1941. Stengel later compared Cooney favorably to Joe DiMaggio as a fielder. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 7, 1925: Pirates SS Glenn Wright pulls a solo triple play at 2B in the 9th, grabbing Jim Bottomley's liner, stepping on the bag before Johnny Cooney can get back, and tagging Rogers Hornsby coming down from 1B to end the game. The Pirates win 10–9 after scoring six runs in the 8th. » February 3, 1928: SS Jimmy Cooney gets to spend his last ML season with his brother Johnny when the Cards sell him to the Boston Braves. » September 18, 1928: The Braves and Cubs combine for National League-record eight double plays between them, but the Cubs win the game, 8–3. Sheriff Blake is the winner over Johnny Cooney. » January 26, 1931: The Boston Braves release veteran pitcher Johnny Cooney. He had held out in 1930, insisting he could bat well enough to stay in baseball. After several years in the minors, he will return to the National League as a Braves OF and be runner-up to NL batting champ Pete Reiser in 1940. » August 21, 1937: Brooklyn OF Johnny Cooney ties the major-league record with 4 extra-base hits: 3 doubles and a triple. » September 24, 1939: OF Johnny Cooney of the Boston Bees, playing at the Polo Grounds, hits his first HR after 15 years as P/OF in the ML. Tomorrow he will repeat the feat, hitting his last HR in what will be a 20-year career. » May 13, 1940: In a replay of their washed-out game of April 23rd called on account of darkness, the Reds and the Cards neglect to inform the league office, and no umpires are assigned to Crosley Field. Coach Jimmy Wilson and P Lon Warneke are pressed into service as umpires before umpire Larry Goetz, at home in Cincinnati on a day off, arrives to officiate. Warneke will later become a full-time umpire, while Wilson will return to active duty at the end of the year and star in the World Series. Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals hits three home runs, and the Reds Bill Werber has five hits and collects four doubles in a 14-inning, 8–8 tie with the Reds. Mize's is his 3rd 3-homer game, breaking the tie for the National League record he shared with George Kelly. After 1910, there will be only five games this century in which active players umpire: Besides today these are: 1912: Ham Hyatt (Pit-N) and Ed Phelps (Bro-N); 1935: Jocko Conlan (Chi-A); 1941: Johnny Cooney (Bos-N) and Freddie Fitzsimmons (Bro-N); and 1978: Don Leppert (coach, Tor-A) and Jerry Zimmerman (coach, Min-A). (as noted by historian Wayne McElreavy) » January 19, 1943: The Braves release veterans Paul Waner and Johnny Cooney. » August 15, 1949: Reports of clubhouse troubles trail the Braves all season. Owner Lou Perini prevails on manager Billy Southworth to take a leave of absence. The team spurts briefly under Johnny Cooney but finishes under .500 in fourth place. Braves players vote Southworth only a half-share of last year's Series earnings but Happy Chandler restores the full share.