Johnny Hopp

From BR Bullpen

John Leonard Hopp (Cotney) brother was known by Hippity

Bats Left, Throws Left
Height 5' 10", Weight 175 lb.

Debut September 18, 1939
Final Game September 27, 1952
Born July 18, 1916 in Hastings, NE USA
Died June 1, 2003 in Scottsbluff, NE USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Johnny Hopp had a 14-year career in the big leagues, including some excellent seasons with the bat. He appeared in five World Series, winning two of them with the St. Louis Cardinals and two with the New York Yankees.

Hopp played outfield and first base. As an outfielder he was mostly a center fielder, although some years he played more in left or in right.

He was usually among the league leaders in stolen bases, although he never led the league.

Hopp was signed in 1936, and came up with the 1939 St. Louis Cardinals for a cup of coffee, hitting .500. By 1941 he was a regular outfielder alongside Enos Slaughter and Terry Moore in the Cardinals outfield, hitting .303 with 11 triples. That year, 1941, was also the year that a young kid named Stan Musial broke in, and the next year Hopp was moved to first base while Musial played the third outfield spot. The Cardinals won the 1942 World Series that year.

Hopp's and Musial's emergence made Johnny Mize expendable, and Mize was traded after the 1941 season. Hopp and Mize would be reunited in 1950 on the Yankees.

Hopp had a good year with the bat in 1944, hitting .336 and finishing fourth in the league in batting. The Cards won the World Series that year as well. After the 1945 season he was traded for Eddie Joost and cash, and responded by hitting .332 in 1946, good for second in the league.

Late in his career, Hopp came to the New York Yankees, primarily to pinch-hit, and was in the 1950 World Series and 1951 World Series.

The most similar player to Hopp (through 2006, using the similarity scores method) is Billy Southworth, who was Hopp's manager in 1946 when he was second in the league in batting.

After his playing career ended, Hopp was a Detroit Tigers coach in 1954 and a member of the St. Louis Cardinals staff in 1956.

[edit] Notable Achievements

NL All-Star (1946)
100 Runs Scored Seasons: 1 (1944)
Won four World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals (1942 & 1944) and the New York Yankees (1950 & 1951)