Monday marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Johnny Hopp.
The Nebraska native, who was a member of four teams that won the World Series, died in 2003 at the age of 86.
A 14-year major leaguer, Hopp began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1939 and played there until 1945. He was a part of the Cardinals world championship teams in 1942 and 1944. His best season was in 1944 when he batted .336 with 11 homers and 72 RBI.
Prior to the 1946 season, Hopp was traded to the Boston Braves for Eddie Joost.
Hopp went on become the starting centerfielder for the National League in that summer’s All-Star Game. He had one the his team’s three hits as they lost 12-0. He also posted a career-high 21 stolen bases.
After 1947, Hopp was shipped to Pittsburgh in a five-player swap that also brought Danny Murtaugh to the Pirates.
Hopp remained with the Pirates until 1949 when he was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers for Marv Rackley in May. By early June, Hopp was back with the Pirates. Acquired to add depth at first base as the Dodgers and Branch Rickey were preparing for the pennant run in the NL, the Pirates voided the trade and sent Rackley back to Brooklyn.
Eventually, the Pirates were able to sell Hopp to the New York Yankees a year later where he would become a valuable resource for manager Casey Stengel on the 1950 and 1951 world champions.
Hopp would be released in 1952 and he was picked up by Detroit before his career came to a close.
Magic in the Air
The issues surrounding Hopp’s trade to the Dodgers didn’t seem to really involve him, it was more about Rackley according to an article published in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on June 8, 1949.
Harold C. Burr writes in the story titled “There’s Magic in Flatbush Air” that It has caused one of the quickest and simplest cures known to medical science on the arm of Marvin Rackley.
“My arm’s alright now that I’m back in Brooklyn,” the outfielder said in the article.
Burr went on to describe that Rickey clutched the arms of his chair as he responded, “That’s a spectacular statement for the boy to make. I didn’t know he had a sore arm.”
Rackley went on play in the World Series that year before ending his big league career with the Cincinnati Reds in early 1950.
A professional player from 1941 to 1955, Rackley made his debut in the majors on the same day as Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1947.
Hopps’s Six-Hit Day
One year after the failed trade with the Dodgers, Hopp had the best individual performance of his career with the Pirates on May 14, 1950.
Hopp had a pair of homers and four singles as the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 16-9 in Wrigley Field.
There was plenty of action at the plate that afternoon as the teams combined for 25 runs with 36 hits.
Hopp’s teammates, Clyde McCullough and Wally Westlake both had four hits. McCullough had a double and triple as he knocked in four runs. All of Westlake’s hits were singles and he drove in three.
Hank Sauer and Andy Pafko of Chicago joined Hopp in the home run parade as nine pitchers took the mound.
Pittburgh’s Woody Main was the winning pitcher, while Chicago’s Doyle Lade got the loss.