Johnny Washington Negro League Legend Johnny Washington was born on April 20, 1930 in Chicago Illinois. Upon graduating from Morgan Park High School in 1949, he tried out for the Negro League Chicago American Giants and made the team which was then managed by the legendary, Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe. Washington finished the 1949 season with the Giants and in 1950 he then joined the Houston Eagles. A versatile player, Washington was a left-handed starting pitcher, who also played first base and the outfield during his two seasons in baseball’s Negro Leagues. Even before Johnny finished high school, baseball was in his blood.

In 1948 Washington joined the Armour Meat Packing Company’s semi-pro team which played on Chicago’s South Side over at Washington Park. There he pitched twice a week in front of huge crowds, and it was during that time that he and fellow Negro League infielder Jack Marshall were encouraged to visit Dr. J. M. Martin - the owner of the Chicago American Giants. Both Washington and Marshall visited Dr. Martin’s offices located at that time at 55th and King Drive, at Hotel Grand, on Chicago’s South Side. Washington was invited to pitch in two “tryout” minor league games - the first one in Milwaukee and second in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Though he performed very well, Washington had to return to Chicago because after all, he was still in High School. But in 1949 he did get a chance to play for the Giants after pitching in the Washington Park Industrial League.

To make ends meet financially, Washington had gotten a job with the local Ford plant, where they were kind enough to allow him to pursue his baseball dreams throughout the summer. Once the Giants season ended, they were kind enough to invite him back. But before the season ended, Dr. Martin had sent Washington to the Houston Eagles - who needed pitching. The franchise was later transferred to New Orleans in the spring of 1951 where Johnny pitched for the Eagles who now played their home games in Pelican Stadium.

In August of 1951 while playing in New York, Washington was encouraged to try out for the Boston Red Sox by second baseman and teammate Jesse Douglas. Douglas said that a scout for the Red Sox had seen both he and Washington play and that he liked what he saw. The scout asked for both of them to go to Boston for a tryout. So the next morning they were on a bus headed for Beantown, where both men were met by two elderly white men at the Boston Bus Station who proceeded to drive them to Fenway Park. After a two and a half hour workout, the Red Sox seemed impressed with both Washington’s pitching performances and Douglas’s play around the bases, but neither of them ever heard back from the BoSox. Of note, the Boston Red Sox were the last to sign any African Americans continuing their stance towards the non-hiring of Blacks despite Ted Williams plea’s and encouragement to do otherwise.

On September 17th 1951, Washington was called to serve his country where he joined the U.S. Marines. During his stint in the service, Washington fought in the Korean War. But he continued to play baseball, this time for the U.S. Marine’s. As a tune-up for the the 1952 campaign, his team played numerous Pacific Coast League teams and some teams from the U.S. Navy.

In 1952, his U.S. Marines squad captured the National Championship - as members of the San Diego Marine Bulldogs. As the only black on the Bulldogs, Washington was still teamed with some pretty good company. Including the likes of former Major Leaguers Bob Skinner, Bill Fisher and Dean Stone.

In August of 1951 Washington and the rest of his camp were transferred to Camp Pendleton for combat training and then off to Korea as members of the 1st Division Marines. While in Korea, Washington was wounded twice and ended up later being rewarded with two Purple Hearts. His first injury occurred around Christmas time in 1952 with the other one coming just months later in the spring of 1953. Due to his injuries, doctors told him to prepare for another career after the military, because baseball, “wasn’t going to happen.”

Discharged from the Marines on September 16, 1954, Washington - undeterred by the doctors comments - still wanted to play baseball. He got himself in condition to continue to play ball in the minor leagues and ended up playing for more than five seasons. Then finally in 1960, he retired to spend more time with his wife and children. Though “retired“ from the game, Washington continued to play semipro ball throughout the Chicagoland area including some stints in the former Midwest League. Over that multiyear span, Washington led the league in hitting seven times and in pitching with the most wins, eight times.

Today, Washington continues to assist Little Leaguers throughout the Chicagoland area. Something he has done for more than twenty-five years now. And if that is not all, Mr. Washington continues to share his experiences speaking to students from grade school to universities in his native Chicago. Mr. Washington - still living on Chicago’s South Side, just a long toss from where old Comiskey Park once stood - is the proud parent of five children (two daughters and three sons) and thirteen grandchildren.