Books and articles about Johnny Podres

SHOPPING » Look for Johnny Podres books at BN.com » Look for Johnny Podres books at Amazon.com Your purchases keep BaseballLibrary.com online. Thank you!

RELATED LINKS Ask The Experts » What was the 1957 Dodgers' lineup? Around the Web » Johnny Podres from baseball-reference.com » Series MVPS from sfgate.com (11/5/01) Jump directly to Library content from any website!

The 23-year-old Podres became a Brooklyn legend in 1955 when he pitched the Dodgers to their first-ever World Championship. Only 9-10 during the regular season, he beat the Yankees 8-3 in Game Three and shut them out 2-0 in Game Seven, giving Brooklyn its only title after five consecutive Series losses to their Bronx rivals. After spending 1956 in the Navy, Podres was a consistent winner on strong Dodger staffs from 1957 to 1963. He used a good fastball, a curve, and an outstanding changeup. In 1957 he led the NL in both ERA (2.66) and shutouts (6). In 1961 he won a career-high 18 games and led the NL in winning percentage (.783), and on July 2, 1962, he pitched his finest game, retiring the first 20 Phillies before Ted Savage singled, and striking out eight batters in a row. (FK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 23, 1954: Dodger lefty Johnny Podres undergoes an appendectomy after being knocked out in three straight starts. » April 22, 1955: Though the Dodgers take a 3-0 lead into the 8th, their streak ends as the Braves' Max Surkont beats Johnny Podres 5-4. Don Zimmer is called out at home on a squeeze play by Jackie Robinson that would have tied the game. » June 3, 1955: Stan Musial hits the 300th HR of his career, a fifth-inning, 3-run shot against Brooklyn's Johnny Podres. The Cards use a NL-record eight pitchers but still lose 12-5. » September 30, 1955: The Dodgers Johnny Podres defeats Bob Turley who fails to last 2 innings against the Bums. C Roy Campanella leads the attack with 3 hits and 3 RBI, as Brooklyn wins 8-3 behind the strong effort of lefty Johnny Podres. » October 3, 1955: No more "wait till next year" as Brooklyn, behind the 2-0 pitching of Johnny Podres, brings its first WS championship to Brooklyn in 8 tries. Sixth-inning replacement Sandy Amoros races over to the wall in LF to one-hand an opposite-field bid for extra bases by Yogi Berra with the tying runs on. Amoros turns and fires to SS Pee Wee Reese who throws a bullet to Gil Hodges at 1B for the DP on Yankee base runner Gil McDougald. » August 24, 1957: The Dodgers use eight pitchers in one game, tying the NL record, in a 13-7 loss to first-place Milwaukee. Johnny Podres leaves after giving up three HRs in the fourth. Hank Aaron hits the first grand slam of his career » March 5, 1958: Duke Snider, Johnny Podres, and Don Zimmer suffer minor injuries in an auto accident in Vero Beach, FL, as they try to beat a 12:30 A.M. curfew. This is the 3rd accident in two months involving Dodger players; Jim Gilliam and his family had an accident shortly after Roy Campanella's. » September 4, 1958: At the Coliseum, the Giants score eight in the 1st inning off Johnny Podres and Stu Miller then coasts to a 13–3 win. The Giants take the season series from the Dodgers, 16–6. » April 14, 1959: The Dodgers set a new night-game attendance record when 61,552 fans watch their home opener against the Cards. Lindy McDaniel spoils the party with a 6-hitter and beats Johnny Podres, 6–2. Hal Smith hits a 2-run homer for St. Louis. » September 26, 1959: The Cubs put the pennant race in a tie by blasting the Dodgers 12-2 at Wrigley. The Cubs tally 18 hits in chasing Johnny Podres. » July 2, 1962: In the first game of a doubleheader, P Johnny Podres of the Dodgers ties the modern National League record with eight consecutive strikeouts in a 5–1 win. Stan Williams also wins 4–0, as the Dodgers sweep Philadelphia and move into first place. » August 10, 1962: In the first of three games with the Dodgers at Candlestick, Bill O'Dell coasts to an 11-2 win over Johnny Podres. The loss cuts the Dodger lead to four games. » September 30, 1962: Gene Oliver's dramatic 9th-inning home run off Johnny Podres gives Curt Simmons and St. Louis a 1–0 win against the Dodgers and a three-game sweep at Chavez Ravine. The heartbreaking loss for LA forces the 4th playoff in National League history. The Giants won five of their last seven games, but only seven of their last 17, while the Dodgers manage just three wins in their last 13 games. » September 16, 1963: The Dodgers and Cardinals begin a first-place showdown before 32,442 fans at Busch Stadium. Ron Perranoski saves a 3–1 win for Johnny Podres and the Dodgers. » October 3, 1963: In game 2, Johnny Podres scatters seven hits, Tommy Davis ties a World Series record with two triples, Willie Davis drives in two runs, Moose Skowron homers, and Los Angeles beats Al Downing 4–1 to go two up. » May 10, 1966: The Tigers purchase P Johnny Podres from the Los Angeles Dodgers. » April 9, 1969: Johnny Podres, out of baseball in 1968, makes a brilliant start for San Diego, allowing 2 hits in 7 innings in a 2–0 win over Houston. Sisk finishes the shutout as Larry Dierker takes the loss.