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Johnson was the ultimate hard-luck pitcher: He pitched a no-hitter for the Astros against the Reds on April 24, 1964 but lost 1-0 on two walks and two errors. He first gained notice when he was acquired by the Reds in July 1961 and went 6-2 for them (6-6 on the season) as they won a surprise pennant. He had his first winning season in 1965 when he was traded to the Braves in May; he finished at 16-10, 3.42, and followed up with 14-8 and 13-9 seasons before falling below .500 for the rest of his career. (WOR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » August 27, 1961: With first place on the line after the Dodgers have won two games from them, Cincinnati rallies from a 5–1 deficit to a 6–5 first-game win over Los Angeles. Gene Freese hits a 3-run homer in the 7th and Wally Post adds a 2-run double in the 8th. Rookie Ken Johnson is an 8–3 winner in the nightcap as the Reds pummel Don Drysdale. The sweep gives the Reds a three 1/2 game lead in the NL. » October 10, 1961: An expansion draft to stock the new National League clubs takes place in Cincinnati. Selecting 1st, Houston takes Giants SS Eddie Bressoud; the Mets take 31-year-old Giant C Hobie Landrith. Second choices are Bob Aspromonte (45s) and Elio Chacon. Other Houston selections include Bobby Shantz, Ken Johnson, Dick Farrell, and Bob Lillis. New York takes Roger Craig, Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Gus Bell, Jay Hook, among others. Also, Cards C Chris Cannizzaro, out much of this year due to an appendectomy. » April 23, 1964: Houston's Ken Johnson becomes the first pitcher ever to hurl a 9-inning no-hitter and lose as Cincinnati wins 1–0. Two errors in the 9th, the second by 2B Nellie Fox on Vada Pinson's grounder, allows Pete Rose to score the only run. Joe Nuxhall wins with a 4-hitter. » May 23, 1965: The Braves trade OF Lee Maye to the Astros for P Ken Johnson and OF Jim Beauchamp. » April 25, 1968: At Chicago, the Cubs are 5–2 winner over the Braves, with Ferguson Jenkins beating Ken Johnson. Felipe Alou homers for the Braves. » July 1, 1990: Yankees Andy Hawkins throws the season's 6th no-hitter, but still loses 4–0 to the White Sox. With two out in the bottom of the 8th, New York's Mike Blowers misplays Sosa's routine grounder for an error, and Hawkins walks two to load the bases. Outfielders Jim Leyritz and Jesse Barfield drop back-to-back fly balls to allow all four runs to score. Barfield loses Ivan Calderon's fly ball in the sun and the ball bounces off his mitt. Ken Johnson in 1964 was the last pitcher to lose a no-hitter.