House That Hank Built
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Atlanta Braves history: Johnny Antonelli the first Bonus Baby

By Fred Owens

NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23, 1954: Members of the New York Giants pose for a team portrait on September 23, 1954 at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York. (L to R) (front row) Johnny Antonelli, Sal Maglie, Whitey Lockman, Larry Jansen, coach Fred Fitzsimmons, secretary Ed Brannick, manager Leo Durocher, coach Frank Shellenback, coach Herman Franks, Davey Williams, Hank Thompson, tean physician Dr. Anthony Palermo; (second row) clubhous custodian Ed Logan, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dusty Rhodes, Willie Mays, Don Mueller, Alvin Dark, Monte Irvin, Bill Taylor, Bobby Hofman, Joe Garagiola, Ruben Gomez, trainer Frank Bowman; Paul Giel, Joe Amalfitano, Don Liddle, Billy Gardner, Al Worthington, Foster Castleman, John "Windy" McCall, Alex Konikowski, Al Corwin, Marv Grissom, Ray Katt, George Spencer, Wes Westrum, Jim Hearn. (Photo by: Olen Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 23, 1954: Members of the New York Giants pose for a team portrait on September 23, 1954 at the Polo Grounds in New York, New York. (L to R) (front row) Johnny Antonelli, Sal Maglie, Whitey Lockman, Larry Jansen, coach Fred Fitzsimmons, secretary Ed Brannick, manager Leo Durocher, coach Frank Shellenback, coach Herman Franks, Davey Williams, Hank Thompson, tean physician Dr. Anthony Palermo; (second row) clubhous custodian Ed Logan, Hoyt Wilhelm, Dusty Rhodes, Willie Mays, Don Mueller, Alvin Dark, Monte Irvin, Bill Taylor, Bobby Hofman, Joe Garagiola, Ruben Gomez, trainer Frank Bowman; Paul Giel, Joe Amalfitano, Don Liddle, Billy Gardner, Al Worthington, Foster Castleman, John "Windy" McCall, Alex Konikowski, Al Corwin, Marv Grissom, Ray Katt, George Spencer, Wes Westrum, Jim Hearn. (Photo by: Olen Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /
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Warren Spahn (left) and Johnny Sain anchored the pitching for the Atlanta Braves franchise when it called Boston home. Photo by Hulton Archive Getty Images) /

Being a Brave

Antonelli took a lot of heat in 1948. Like the 2018 Atlanta Braves, the Boston Braves were locked in a tight pennant race, and the rookie making three times the salary of Johnny Sain appeared in four games and threw four innings. His primary task that season was tossing batting practice before each game.

The 1949 season saw Antonelli given more starts and producing better results. On May 1, he flashed the stuff that earned him the big signing bonus.

After Warren Spahn beat the Giants in game one of the double-header, Antonelli gave up an unearned run in the top of the first, then threw seven shutout innings to get the win and help the Braves sweep the twin-bill. On June 12, he threw a four-hit shutout against the Cubs for his second win of the season.

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Antonelli finished the season with a 3-7 record in ten starts and 12 relief appearances, throwing 96 innings with a 3.56 ERA and 107 ERA+. In 1950, the Braves weren’t as good, and neither was Antonelli. He finished the 1950 season with a 5.93 ERA in 57 innings over 20 appearances, but a 3.24 FIP suggests he pitched a lot better than his record.

After two years in the Army, Johnny Antonelli returned to the now Milwaukee Braves and looked remarkably like the guy they thought they’d signed in 1948. He made 26 starts, threw 175 1/3 innings, including eleven complete games and two shutouts while pitching to a 3.18 ERA, 3.44 FIP, and 124 ERA+.

Always willing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Braves traded him to the Giants the following December.

Oops, bad deal

In 1954,  Antonelli – now 24-years old, became the Giants’ best starting pitcher. He appeared in 39 games, threw 258 1/3 innings, including 36 starts, won 21, lost 7,  and notched two saves. The lefty led the leagues with six shutouts, a 2.30 ERA, and 178 ERA+, earning him his first of five All-Star nods that July and a third place finish third in NL MVP voting.

Giants pitching faltered in late August, but Antonelli refused to lose. His Sabre bio linked earlier describes his work.

". . . Behind his clutch hurling and offensive support from the likes of Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, and Alvin Dark, the Giants advanced to the World Series against the Cleveland Indians."

He came up big for the Giants World Series sweep on the Indians, winning game two with an eight-hit, one run, complete game, then coming back in game four and the 1 2/3 innings of no-hit shutout ball to earn the save. He finished the series with a 0.84 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 10 1/3 IP.

Antonelli was a very good – at times great – pitcher in his seven years with the Giants, earning another top-20 MVP finish in 1956, and leading the league in shutouts again, with four in 1959.

ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP ERA+ FIP  
3.13 280 219 86 21 19 1600 124 3.58

He could hit a bit too.

H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS SF
101 8 3 15 54 .180 .212 .286 .497 25

The Braves received catcher Sam Calderone and Bobby Thompson in the trade.  Calderone made 34 plate appearances in 1954 spent the rest of his career in the minors. Thompson batted .242/.307/.400/.706 with a 92 OPS+ over his three-plus seasons with the Braves.

The Braves also sent Don Liddle – two-plus years for the Giants 274 1/3 IP 3.64 ERA – catcher Ebba St. Claire –  a 1954 season that duplicated Calderone’s, minor league infielder Billy Klaus, and $50,000 to the Giants in that deal. Good job, Mr. Quinn.

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