Johnny Pesky

Mr. Red Sox: A lifetime of baseball in Boston

John Michael Pesky (born John Michael Paveskovich; February 27, 1919 – August 13, 2012), nicknamed "the Needle" and "Mr. Red Sox", was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was a shortstop and third baseman during a ten-year major league playing career, appearing in 1,270 games played in 1942 and from 1946 to 1954 for three teams. He missed the 1943–45 seasons while serving in World War II. Pesky was associated with the Boston Red Sox for 61 of his 73 years in baseball—from 1942 through June 3, 1952 (excluding 1943–1945 due to military service), 1961 through 1964, and from 1969 until his death. Pesky also managed the Red Sox from 1963 to 1964, and served as interim manager for one game on September 28, 1980.

Quick Facts

Position

Shortstop
Third baseman
Manager

Born

27 February 1919

Birthplace

Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Died

13 August 2012

Place of death

Danvers, Massachusetts, U.S.

Bats

Left

Throws

Right

Debut league

MLB

Lore & Background

Pesky was a left-handed hitter who threw right-handed, and was a tough man for pitchers to strike out. As a hitter, he specialized in getting on base, leading the AL in base hits three times—his first three seasons in the majors, in which he collected over 200 hits each year—and was among the top ten in on-base percentage six times while batting .307 in 4,745 at bats as a major leaguer. He was also an excellent bunter who led the league in sacrifice hits in 1942. He was a teammate and close friend of Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Dom DiMaggio and the four were later honored with The Teammates statue outside Fenway Park.

Reader's Guide

In honor of Pesky, the right field foul pole at Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, is known as Pesky's Pole, or the Pesky Pole. Former teammate and Sox broadcaster Mel Parnell named the pole after Pesky. The story goes that Pesky won a game for Parnell in 1948 with a home run down the short (302 feet (92 m)) right field line, just around the pole. Research, however, shows that Pesky hit just one home run in a game pitched by Parnell, a two-run shot in the first inning of a game against Detroit played on June 11, 1950. The game was eventually won by the visiting Tigers in the 14th inning on a three-run shot by Tigers right fielder Vic Wertz and Parnell earned a no-decision that day.

Did You Know?

Pesky was born John Michael Paveskovich in Portland, Oregon, the son of Croat immigrants.
Pesky led the AL in hits his first three seasons (1942, 1946, 1947), collecting over 200 hits each year.