Ernie’s Biography 

Read Ernie Johnson’s bio here

Ernest Thorwald Johnson (born June 16, 1924 in Brattleboro, Vermont) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'4", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1942 season. He played for the Boston Braves (1950, 1952), Milwaukee Braves (1953-1958), and Baltimore Orioles (1959).

Johnson had an important role on the 1957 World Series Champion Braves with a 7-3 record and 4 saves in 30 games. In three World Series appearances against the New York Yankees that October he gave up only one run in seven innings, but it happened to be a game-winning home run by Hank Bauer in the seventh inning of Game # 6.

In nine seasons Johnson had a losing record only once (1955) and had an overall winning percentage of .635. Career totals include a record of 40-23 in 273 games, 19 games started, 3 complete games, 1 shutout, 119 games finished, 19 saves, and an ERA of 3.77.

Following his playing days Johnson was a longtime play-by-play broadcaster on Braves radio and television, working from 1962 to 1999 and becoming an icon in Atlanta. He was elected to the Braves' Hall of Fame on August 24, 2001. His son, Ernie Johnson, Jr., worked with him from 1993 to 1996.