Books and articles about Johnny Sain

"Spahn and Sain and pray for rain," was the Braves' motto for the 1948 stretch drive, as they pushed toward their first pennant since 1914. That season Spahn was actually not much more effective than the Braves' third and fourth starters, Bill Voiselle and Vern Bickford. Sain, however, led the NL with 24 wins, 39 starts, 28 complete games, and 314 innings.

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

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » "Johnny won a World Series game, beating Bob Feller, 1-0, in the first game of the 1948 World Series": Carl Erskine Submissions » April 13, 1954: The Day Mamie Eisenhower Hugged "The Old Fox" by Lyle Spatz Around the Web » Johnny Sain from baseball-reference.com » Neyer: Mazzone for the Hall? from espn.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

A rookie in 1942, he spent 1943-45 in the military, but lost no time establishing himself upon his return. He won 20 each year from 1946 to 1948, slumped in 1949, but came back with a 20-13 mark in 1950. Although Sain could strike men out when the occasion demanded, the 6'2" Arkansan had pinpoint control and a let-'em-hit-it philosophy. In three of his 20-win seasons, he led the league in hits allowed. Sent to the Yankees in August 1951 for Lew Burdette and $50,000, he contributed 11-6 and 14-7 marks to the 1952 and '53 Yankee pennants, then led the AL with 22 saves in 1954.

An excellent-hitting pitcher (.245), Sain averaged .346 in 1947 and .353 in 1954, and led the NL with 16 sacrifice hits in 1948. He became an instructor and ML pitching coach with the A's, Yankees, Twins, Tigers, Angels, White Sox, and Braves. He became known for developing 20-game-winners in tight, four-man rotations. Whitey Ford, Jim Kaat, Earl Wilson, Denny McLain, Clyde Wright, Stan Bahnsen, and Wilbur Wood all had their biggest seasons under Sain's supervision. Loved by his pitchers, often hated by his jealous managers, he coached five ML teams that won pennants. Jim Bouton has called Sain "the greatest pitching coach who ever lived." When Sain was fired by Yogi Berra, Bouton said, "What general likes a lieutenant that's smarter?" (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » January 14, 1940: Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis gives free agency to 91 Detroit players and farm hands. Citing cover-ups in its organization, Landis hands freedom to Roy Cullenbine, Benny McCoy, Lloyd Dietz, and Steve Rachunok from the parent roster and orders $47,250 paid as compensation to 14 players. Johnny Sain is one of 23 players who will later make it to the ML. Landis's edict nullifies a deal that would have brought Wally Moses to the Tigers for Benny McCoy and George Coffman. McCoy is considered the plum of the emancipation, and several clubs bid for the 2B. Connie Mack keeps Moses and signs McCoy for a $45,000 bonus and 2-season contract at $10,000 a year. » July 12, 1946: Johnny Sain just misses a perfect no-hitter when Grady Hatton's pop fly drops among three Braves behind 3B. No one else gets on as the Braves win 1-0 in Cincinnati. » April 15, 1947: Facing Johnny Sain, Jackie Robinson goes hitless in three trips in his debut but handles 11 chances at 1B, a new position for him, in a 5–3 Brooklyn win over the Braves. Coach Clyde Sukeforth, interim manager and the man credited with first scouting Robinson, guides the team to two wins and a loss before he steps down. » July 8, 1947: Clutch pinch hits by Luke Appling and Stan Spence lead the AL to a 2-1 win over the NL in the All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. Schoolboy Rowe pinch-hits for Johnny Sain, becoming the first player to appear for each side. Rowe pitched three innings for the AL in 1936. » September 12, 1947: Ralph Kiner hits his record 8th HR in 4 games to pass Johnny Mize in the HR race as Pittsburgh tops the Boston Braves 4-3. The rain of HRs exceeds the 7 in 4 games hit by Tony Lazzeri in 1936. On the 18th Kiner will again pass Mize in the homer derby by belting his 50th of the season. Mize will get his 50th two days later. Kiner will get number 51 on September 23 against Jim Hearn of the Cards, and Mize will tie it up 2 days later off Johnny Sain of Boston. Both players have until the season finales on September 28 to break the tie, but neither will succeed. » June 15, 1948: Behind Johnny Sain, the Braves beat the Cubs 6-3 to take a one-game NL lead. It is the first game to be telecast in the Boston area; the Red Sox will follow a week later after they return from a road trip. » July 9, 1948: At Boston, Johnny Sain becomes the National League's 1st 11-game winner, beating Robin Roberts and the Phils, 13–2. Alvin Dark has three hits running his hit streak to 21 games. In the 4th inning Dark triples off the reliever Ken Heintzelman, then steals home. » July 15, 1948: The Braves stop the host Cubs, 2–1, behind Johnny Sain, then battle to a 1–1 tie in 13 innings in the nitecap. Dark's hitting streak of 23 games is stopped in the opener, but he has two hits and scores the run in game 2. Bob Rush pitches all 13 innings for the Bruins. » August 27, 1948: Johnny Schmitz leads the Cubs to a 1–0 win over the first-place Braves at Wrigley Field. Schmitz allows just six hits, including two triples, but doubles and scores the games only run in the bottom of the 9th. Johnny Sain takes the loss. » October 9, 1948: Before a record WS 81,897, the Indians take a 3-1 Series lead, as Steve Gromek outpitches Johnny Sain. The first HR of the Series, by Larry Doby, is decisive. » April 19, 1950: Sid Gordon of the Braves hits the first National League grand slam of the season, as Boston beats the Giants 10-6 at the Polo Grounds. There will be 35 grand slams in the league this year, a NL single-season record, later topped. Giants pitcher Jack Harshman hits his first homer, off Johnny Sain, but it's not enough. » April 23, 1950: In the second of two games, the Braves and Phillies start the match in daylight and finish under the lights, a first in the majors. Phils win, 6–5. Johnny Sain hurls the Braves to a 4–3 win over the visiting Phils in the opener. » June 3, 1950: The Braves' Sid Gordon slugs his 3rd grand slam of the season, plus a 2nd home run, to account for seven Braves runs in a 10–6 whipping of Pittsburgh. Gordon now leads the NL in homers with 11. Wally Westlake hits a pair of homers, and Hank Schenz hits his 1st (and 2nd career) homer of the year. Johnny Sain gives up a home run to Sam Jethroe in winning his 8th, tops in the majors. » September 23, 1950: The Braves' Johnny Sain fails in his attempt to win his 20th game, but hits his first major-league HR, off Larry Jansen, in a 4–3 loss to the visiting Giants. With two outs in the 10th, Sam Jethroe loses Don Mueller's fly ball in the sun and Mueller legs out a triple. Hank Thompson's single wins it for Larry Jansen. A Saturday crowd of 5,535 watch the Tribe drop out of second place, while the Giants move to within three games of the Phils. » August 12, 1951: Campanella breaks up a pitching duel between Newcombe and Boston's Johnny Sain with a 3-run homer, his 2nd of the game, and the 3rd time in nine games he's collected a pair of homers. Campy's five ribbies give the Dodgers a 7–2 win. Don Newcombe wins his 16th, while Sain goes 4–13. » August 28, 1951: The Braves sell P Johnny Sain to the Yankees for $50,000 and a young pitcher named Lew Burdette. It is another late-season insurance measure for the New Yorkers. » September 3, 1951: Newly acquired pitcher Johnny Sain tosses a 5-hitter to beat the A's, 3–1. The A's top the Yankees in the nitecap, 3–2. » May 20, 1952: Playing center field and batting third, Mickey Mantle displays his switch-hitting skills by collecting two singles from each side of the plate. His first two hits are against righty Ken Holcombe, while the last two come off lefty Chuck Stobbs. Johnny Sain scatters six White Sox hits to win, 3–1. » May 8, 1953: After 13 straight losses to New York, the Red Sox win a dramatic 11-inning 2–1 thriller at Fenway. Billy Goodman's homer off starter Johnny Sain gives starter Hal Brown the win. Dick Gernert's 2nd inning home run is the other Boston score. In Boston's last win over New York, August 9, 1952, all the scores came on solo homers. » May 11, 1955: The A's continue to wheel and deal as they purchase OF Harry Simpson from the Indians and P Ray Herbert from the Tigers. They give cash and P John "Sonny" Dixon to the Yankees in exchange for RF Enos Slaughter and P Johnny Sain.