Walter Johnson

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Lore & Background

Generally regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Johnson established several records, some of which remain unbroken. He remains by far the all-time career leader in shutouts with 110, second in wins with 417, and fourth in complete games with 531. He held the career record in strikeouts from 1919, passing Christy Mathewson’s mark of 2,507, until 1983, when three players (Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan and Gaylord Perry) passed his career total of 3,508. On July 22, 1923, Johnson became the first pitcher to record 3,000 strikeouts. He remained the only player to do so until Bob Gibson matched the feat on July 17, 1974. Of the club's 20 members, he pitched the most innings and has the lowest strikeouts per nine innings pitched (5.34 K/9). Johnson led the league in strikeouts for 12 total seasons, 8 of which were consecutive, both all-time records. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record more than 400 wins and strike out more than 3,500 batters. In 1936, Johnson was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its "first five" inaugural members.

In Their Own Story

The air at Griffith Stadium hung heavy with humidity as the crowd leaned forward, sensing a moment of history. On the mound stood Walter Johnson, his uniform crisp despite the heat, his eyes locked on the batter's box. Ty Cobb recalled his first encounter with the rookie fastballer: "On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw in the ball field. He was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington... The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him... Every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park." In 1917, a Bridgeport, Connecticut, munitions laboratory recorded Johnson's fastball at 134 feet per second, equal to 91 miles per hour, a velocity that may have been unmatched in his day. Johnson pitched with a sidearm motion, making his fastball especially difficult for right-handed batters to follow, as the ball seemed to be coming from third base.

Reader's Guide

Johnson was renowned as the premier power pitcher of his era. Ty Cobb recalled his first encounter with the rookie fastballer: 'On August 2, 1907, I encountered the most threatening sight I ever saw in the ball field. He was a rookie, and we licked our lips as we warmed up for the first game of a doubleheader in Washington.... The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn't touch him.... Every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ball park.' In 1917, a Bridgeport, Connecticut, munitions laboratory recorded Johnson's fastball at 134 feet per second, which is equal to 91 miles per hour (146 km/h), a velocity that may have been unmatched in his day, with the possible exception of Smoky Joe Wood. Johnson, moreover, pitched with a sidearm motion, whereas power pitchers are usually known for pitching with a straight overhand delivery. Johnson's motion was especially difficult for right-handed batters to follow, as the ball seemed to be coming from third base. His pitching mechanics were superb, generating powerful rotation of his shoulders with excellent balance. In addition to his fastball, Johnson featured an occasional curveball that he developed around 1913 or 1914. He batted and threw right-handed.

Did You Know?

• Johnson's record total of 3,508 strikeouts stood for more than 55 years until Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, and Gaylord Perry all surpassed it in that order during the 1983 season.
• Johnson, as of 2026, ranks eleventh on the all-time strikeout list, but his total must be understood in its proper context of an era of much fewer strikeouts.
• Among his pre–World War II contemporaries, only two men finished within 1,000 strikeouts of Johnson: runner-up Cy Young with 2,803 (705 strikeouts behind) and Tim Keefe at 2,562 (946 behind). Bob Feller, whose war-shorte
• Johnson won 36 games in 1913, 40% of the team's total wins for the season.
• In April and May, he pitched 55 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, which stood as the MLB record for 55 years and as of 2024 remains the American League's best and third-longest streak in history.