Johnny Podres – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Johnny Podres wrapped up his 17-year Major League Baseball career in 1969 with the San Diego Padres. That marked the end of a remarkable journey that started in the small Adirondack town of Witherbee, New York.

As a left-handed pitcher, Podres spent most of his years with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He became a World Series legend and a clutch performer on baseball’s biggest stage.

Podres stepped away at age 36 after the 1969 season, finishing with a career record of 148 wins and 116 losses in 462 games from 1953 to 1969. His final season came during the Padres’ expansion year. He posted a 5-6 record in what really was his last hurrah in pro baseball.

Sure, his overall stats tell one story, but Podres’ impact on the game goes way beyond just wins and losses.

From his unforgettable Game 7 in the 1955 World Series that finally brought Brooklyn a title, to his growth as one of the game’s most reliable big-stage pitchers, Podres built a legacy that still resonates with baseball fans. His story blends small-town roots, military service, championship moments, and the kind of dedication that defined a generation of players who helped shape America’s pastime.

Johnny Podres’ Retirement in 1969

Johnny Podres finished his 15-year major league career with the San Diego Padres in 1969. He ended that year with a 5-6 record at age 36.

The left-handed pitcher played his last season during the Padres’ very first year in the National League.

Final Season with the San Diego Padres

Podres joined the Padres in 1969, just as they launched their franchise in Major League Baseball. At 36, he tried for a comeback after the Detroit Tigers released him in 1968.

The Padres’ first season was rough for everyone, including Podres. Most games felt meaningless since the expansion team struggled to keep up in the National League West.

Podres managed a 5-6 record during his final MLB season. The numbers reflected the challenges of an aging pitcher trying to hang on with a brand-new, struggling team.

He brought much-needed experience to a young Padres roster. His presence offered a little stability to a rotation that desperately needed some veteran leadership.

Last MLB Appearance and Career-Ending Game

Podres made his final big league appearance against the Houston Astros. That game, like many others for the struggling Padres, didn’t really matter in the standings.

The Astros finished the season at 81-81, landing in fifth place in the six-team National League West. So, the matchup between these two teams wasn’t exactly headline news.

We don’t have a lot of details about how Podres pitched in his last game. Still, it marked the end of a career that started with the Brooklyn Dodgers back in 1953.

That game closed out 16 years in professional baseball for a guy who’d been a World Series hero. His last appearance happened far from the spotlight that had made his name.

Circumstances Surrounding Retirement

Podres called it a career after the 1969 season, leaving behind a lifetime record of 148-116. He finished with a 3.68 ERA over 15 big league seasons.

Age played the biggest role in his decision. At 36, Podres realized his best pitching days were behind him.

He’d already dealt with back problems that led to his early release from military service in 1956. Those physical issues probably nudged him toward retirement too.

After hanging up his cleats, Podres moved into coaching. He started working as a pitching coach, eager to pass on what he’d learned.

His retirement closed the book on an era for a pitcher who reached legendary status with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Podres played for three teams: the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, and San Diego Padres.

Career Overview and Baseball Accomplishments

Johnny Podres built a 17-year Major League Baseball career from 1953 to 1969. He played mainly as a left-handed starting pitcher.

His most famous moment? In 1955, he pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 7 of the World Series, helping the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 2-0 for their first championship.

Teams Played For Throughout Career

Podres spent most of his career with the Dodgers organization, starting with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953. He pitched for Brooklyn from 1953 to 1955, then paused for military service in 1956.

After coming back from the Navy, he rejoined the team in 1957, which turned out to be Brooklyn’s final season. Then he stuck with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1958 through 1966 after the franchise moved to the West Coast.

In 1966, Podres got traded to the Detroit Tigers. He went 4-5 with Detroit in 1966 and 3-1 in 1967.

The Tigers released him in 1968. At 36, he tried one more time with the expansion San Diego Padres in 1969. That became his last year in the majors, where he put up a 5-6 record before retiring.

Major MLB Achievements and Awards

Podres earned honors as a four-time All-Star during his career. His biggest moment came in the 1955 World Series when he delivered a brilliant Game 7 against the Yankees.

He won four World Series championships with the Dodgers in 1955, 1959, 1963, and 1965. In the World Series, he posted a 4-1 record with a 2.11 ERA across four Fall Classic appearances.

That 1955 World Series win meant everything. Podres pitched Brooklyn to its first and only championship with his complete-game shutout in Game 7.

In 1957, Podres led the majors in ERA (2.66) and shutouts (6). He really established himself as a top pitcher after coming back from military service.

Key Career Statistics

Podres finished his MLB career with a 148-116 win-loss record and a 3.68 ERA over 440 games. He started 331 games and completed 75 of them during his 17 seasons.

Statistic	Career Total
Games	440
Wins	148
Losses	116
ERA	3.68
Strikeouts	1,435
Shutouts	23
Games Started	331

He racked up 1,435 strikeouts and tossed 23 shutouts in his career. Podres pitched 2,265⅔ innings and walked 1,990 batters.

His top season came in 1957, when he went 12-9 with a league-best 2.66 ERA. He also led the National League with six shutouts that year.

Podres built a reputation as a big-game pitcher who thrived under pressure. His postseason clutch performances shaped his legacy even more than his regular season stats.

The Legendary 1955 World Series

Johnny Podres delivered the most important performance of his career in October 1955. He pitched a complete-game shutout in Game 7, giving the Brooklyn Dodgers their first and only World Series championship.

His brilliant 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium finally ended decades of heartbreak for Brooklyn fans.

Game 7 Shutout and Dodgers’ First Championship

On October 4, 1955, Podres took the mound for Game 7 at Yankee Stadium with all of Brooklyn counting on him. The Dodgers had lost seven previous World Series, five of them to the Yankees.

Podres pitched all nine innings, giving up just eight hits and shutting out the powerful Yankees lineup. He worked closely with catcher Roy Campanella, who many felt called the best game of his career.

“Campanella was calling the greatest game of his career,” Podres once said. “Every time he’d give me a sign, ‘I want you to throw it here,’ I was throwing it there.”

The big moment came in the sixth inning. With Gil McDougald on first, Yogi Berra hit a slicing fly toward the left field line.

Sandy Amoros made a spectacular one-handed catch near the foul line. He fired the ball to shortstop Pee Wee Reese, who relayed it to Gil Hodges at first to double up McDougald.

The Dodgers scored their two runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Podres kept the Yankees off the board all game, finally bringing Brooklyn its long-awaited championship.

World Series MVP Performance

Podres started two games in the 1955 World Series and won both. He pitched a complete game in Game 3, helping Brooklyn to an 8-3 win at Ebbets Field.

His Game 7 outing was even more impressive. Podres used his changeup to keep Yankees hitters guessing all night.

1955 World Series Stats:

• Games Started: 2
• Record: 2-0
• ERA: 1.00
• Strikeouts: 8
• Complete Games: 2

Mickey Mantle, the Yankees’ star, struggled with knee injuries throughout the series. He sat out Games 1, 2, 6, and 7, only pinch-hitting late in Game 7.

Podres credited his success against the Yankees to his changeup and his ability to hit his spots. His teammate Clem Labine once said Podres “had the kind of equipment that was good for the Yankees.”

The young lefty became Brooklyn’s hero. His shutout delivered the Dodgers’ first championship in franchise history.

Impact on Dodger History

The 1955 World Series win ended years of heartbreak for the Brooklyn Dodgers and their fans. The team had lost World Series in 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, and 1953 before finally breaking through.

You can find statues commemorating Podres’ performance outside the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. A statue of Podres stands 60 feet, six inches from one of Roy Campanella.

The championship came just two years before the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles. That made the 1955 title even more special for Brooklyn fans, since it would be their only World Series victory.

When Podres came back to Witherbee, New York, around 3,000 people showed up for a parade in his honor. The celebration proved just how much the win meant to fans everywhere.

The 1955 World Series still stands as one of the most famous in baseball history. Podres’ Game 7 shutout is often called one of the greatest pitching performances the Series has ever seen.

Early Life, Background, and Rise to the Majors

John Joseph Podres was born on September 30, 1932, in Witherbee, New York, a small iron ore mining town in the Adirondacks. His path from the mining communities of upstate New York to Major League Baseball started with standout high school play and continued with dominant minor league performances that caught the eye of Brooklyn Dodgers scouts.

Childhood in Witherbee and Mineville

Johnny Podres grew up in Witherbee, one of five hamlets in Moriah, New York, about 160 miles from Cooperstown. The area was a 73-square mile outdoorsman’s paradise, full of hunting and fishing.

His family had deep roots in mining. Podres’s grandfather Barney, who immigrated from Russia, worked in the local mines for nearly 50 years.

His father Joe also spent years as a miner but played semi-pro baseball for 25 years on Sundays. Podres’s mother Anna worked at the Moriah Central School cafeteria.

He had three brothers—Thomas, Walter, and James—and a sister named Mary.

Baseball grabbed Johnny’s attention early. “When he was a little boy, he used to listen to the Dodger games on the radio in his room,” his widow Joan remembered. “His mother would say, ‘Turn that radio off. You have school tomorrow.'”

High School and Minor League Success

Podres went to Mineville High School and played baseball with his uncle. Together, they led the school to the 1949 Southern Essex County League title in a tense 1-0 game that lasted 17 innings.

After he graduated in 1950, Podres joined the Burlington Cardinals of the Summer Collegiate Northern League. In 1951, he started his professional career with the Newport News Dodgers in the Class D Piedmont League, finishing 0-2 in seven games.

Things really started to click for him with the Hazard Bombers in the Mountain States League. Podres put up some pretty wild numbers:

• 1.67 ERA
• 21-3 win-loss record
• 228 strikeouts (tops in the league)

Manager Max Macon focused on improving Podres’s curveball. “Max Macon worked on my curve a lot,” Podres later said. The Hazard Herald actually called him “Padres” at first, but fixed the error after his fourth game—a two-hitter.

MLB Debut and Initial Impressions

Podres’s run with Hazard got Brooklyn interested. Dodgers manager Chuck Dressen said, “He’s the best looking pitching prospect I’ve seen in years.” The team sent Podres to the Montreal Royals in 1952, where he went 5-5 under Walter Alston.

He debuted in the MLB on April 17, 1953, at just 20 years old with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Podres posted a 4.23 ERA but still managed to go 9-4 as a rookie, starting 18 games and finishing three.

During his first spring training, he threw three innings with no walks, three hits, and five strikeouts. A pulled back muscle kept him from facing major leaguers right away, but he got better as camp went on.

The Cleveland Indians tried to buy Podres for $250,000 during spring training. General Manager Buzzie Bavasi turned them down. That move worked out since Podres became a key part of the Dodgers’ National League championship team that year.

Pitching Style, Notable Seasons, and Playing Style

Podres used a tricky left-handed delivery and had great fastball control, which made him tough to hit during his 15-year career. In 1957, he led the National League in earned run average. His friendships with Dodgers like Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale helped make their pitching staff one of the best around.

Pitching Approach and Left-Handed Technique

Podres built his game on aggressive pitching and sharp fastball control. As a lefty, he kept things simple and just attacked the strike zone.

He didn’t mess around with fancy mechanics. Podres liked to get ahead in the count with his fastball, then mix in his signature curveball.

Even after he retired, his curveball stayed sharp. In 2008, at 75 years old, he threw a ceremonial first pitch that surprised everyone with its movement.

Key Statistics:

• Career ERA: 3.68
• Shutouts: 24
• Complete Games: 77
• Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: Strong command, not many walks

Podres made the All-Star team four times. He won at least 15 games twice and had five or more shutouts in several seasons.

1957 ERA Title and Statistical Highlights

In 1957, Podres led the National League with a 2.66 ERA. That year really stands out as his best individual season as a starter.

He showed better control and walked fewer batters than before. Podres also finished 10 games that season and kept his fastball velocity steady.

That ERA title came as the Dodgers played their last season in Brooklyn. Podres helped anchor the pitching staff right before the team moved to Los Angeles.

1957 Season Highlights:

• ERA: 2.66 (NL Leader)
• Record: 12-9
• Complete Games: 10
• Team: Brooklyn Dodgers

After 1957, Podres kept pitching well through the late ’50s and early ’60s. He didn’t really have a huge peak, but he stayed consistently good.

Relationships with Fellow Dodgers

Podres worked closely with Dodgers aces Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale during the Los Angeles years. Together, the lefty-righty combo formed a tough rotation under manager Walter Alston.

He mentored younger pitchers as they joined the team. Podres shared tips on pitch sequencing and how to command the strike zone.

Manager Walter Alston leaned on Podres as a veteran leader. His experience from the 1955 championship team gave newer players like Jim Gilliam someone to look up to.

He kept up friendships with teammates long after he hung up his glove. Podres’s straightforward teaching style also shaped his later coaching career with several teams.

He stayed on good terms with Dodgers management even as the organization changed. When Tommy Lasorda took over as manager, former players still respected what Podres brought to the franchise.

Post-Playing Career and Coaching Legacy

After he retired from pro baseball in 1969, Johnny Podres switched to coaching. He spent more than twenty years developing pitchers for several Major League teams. Podres liked to keep things simple and aggressive, and he helped shape some future stars, including Cy Young winners.

Pitching Coach in MLB and Teams Coached

Podres started coaching in 1973 and worked with five organizations over 23 seasons. He served as pitching coach for the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, and Philadelphia Phillies through 1996.

He spent the most time with the Phillies, where fans and players loved him as a pitching coach. Podres also worked with the Minnesota Twins during their strong run in the ’80s and early ’90s.

Instead of focusing on complicated mechanics or detailed pitch charts, Podres taught a straightforward style. He emphasized fastball command and being aggressive on the mound.

His coaching echoed his own playing days as a clutch pitcher. Podres believed in keeping it basic and sticking to the fundamentals that worked for him.

Mentorship and Influence on Future Pitchers

Podres had a big impact on several pitchers who later became stars. Curt Schilling called Podres one of the most important people in his life and career.

Schilling wrote, “outside of the Lord, my wife and my father, there was no person who impacted my life more than Johnny Podres.” He said Podres genuinely cared about his growth as both a player and a person.

Frank Viola, who won the Cy Young Award in 1988 with the Minnesota Twins, also learned a lot from Podres. Podres worked with Viola during his best years in Minnesota.

His mentorship wasn’t just about pitching. Players often said Podres cared about their lives, not just their stats or mechanics.

Awards and Honors After Playing Career

Podres never made it into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, but other institutions recognized him. The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame inducted him, which felt like a pretty big nod to both his heritage and what he brought to baseball.

Outside the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, you’ll spot a statue of Podres. It stands 60 feet, 6 inches from Roy Campanella’s statue, a quiet tribute to the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1955 World Series win.

People noticed his coaching achievements throughout his career, even though he rarely chased the spotlight. Podres just wanted to help players get better, not rack up awards for himself.

Honestly, the respect he got from guys like Schilling and Viola might be the thing he valued most after his playing days.