Johnny Pramesa

From BR Bullpen

John Steven Pramesa

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.

Debut April 24, 1949
Final Game July 26, 1952
Born August 28, 1925 in Barton, OH USA
Died September 9, 1996 in Los Angeles, CA USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Seventeen year old Johnny Pramesa a 6' 2" 210 pound catcher was signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Giants before the 1943 season. The young receiver would report to the Bristol Twins helping his team to the Appalachian League pennant by appearing in 101 games while leading the league with 143 base-hits and 91 RBIs and also finising second in the chase for the batting title with a .357 average. He also caught the All-Star game.

Pramesa would spend the next two years (1944-45) serving in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. During the next three seasons (1946-48) Johnny would spend his time with six different clubs in six different leagues and after hitting .282 for the Jersey City Giants he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds from the New York Giants on October 4, 1948 in the rule V draft.

Pramesa would make his first trip to Crosley Field in 1949 with the Cincinnati Reds and appear in 17 games, hitting .240. He was also with the Syracuse Chiefs for 45 outings, hitting .255. Johnny would be back with the Cincinnati Reds in 1950 and be named to the National League rookie All-Star team after appearing in 74 games and hitting a career high .307 in 228 at-bats. 1951 saw him with the Reds again, catching 72 games but his average fell off to .229 and on October 4, 1951 the Cincinnati club traded him along with Bob Usher to the Chicago Cubs for Bob Borkowski and Smoky Burgess.

Johnny was the Chicago Cubs catcher for 22 games in 1952, hitting .283 in 46 at-bats and this would finish out his major league career, finishing up with a .268 average in 185 games. Johnny would drop back into the minors, staying with the Chicago Cub organization and finished out his nine year minor league run in 1956 at age 30, appearing in 559 games and hitting .311 with 41 homers.

In his post-baseball years, Pramesa was in sales for Helms Express in Cincinnati. He died on September 9, 1996, at age 72 in Los Angeles, CA.