Johnny Ritchey

John Franklin Ritchey (January 5, 1923 – January 14, 2003) was an American professional baseball catcher.

Ritchey is recognized as one of the first African American men to play Minor League Baseball in the twentieth century, as he won batting titles in both the Negro leagues and Minor Leagues. Moreover, he was the first black player to perform in the Pacific Coast League in 32 years, when pitcher Jimmy Claxton passed as part Native American in 1916. Even though Ritchey never sought any laurels for integrating the PCL, he is commemorated with a bronze bust in Petco Park. as the youngest son of a famed athletic family. At an early age, he learned to play baseball with blacks and whites integrated at San Diego High School and in youth leagues in the area, as his teammates dubbed him Johnny Baseball for his passion and enthusiasm for the game. Returning from the war, he went to college in 1946 to finishing his schooling and would star for the Aztecs, winning the Linn Platner Trophy as the Aztecs player with the highest batting average at .356 while setting a record of 25 stolen bases.

Professional career In 1947, Ritchey made his professional debut with the Chicago American Giants of the Negro American League. He posted a .381 batting average to lead the circuit, edging Birmingham Black Barons star shortstop Artie Wilson by just .008, as Jackie Robinson was making history and breaking the Color Barrier in Major League Baseball. Ritchey made history soon later, becoming the first ever African American to play in the Pacific Coast League.

In his rookie season, Ritchey would be in competition for the catching duties with veterans Hank Camelli and Len Rice, who were injured during spring training and Ritchey caught nearly the entirety of the season-opening series against the rival Los Angeles Angels. Not typically a power hitter, Ritchey went 8-for-16, including a game-winning, three-run home run in one contest.

Thereafter, Ritchey played for the Portland Beavers in part of two seasons spanning 1950–1951. In 1950, he slashed .270/.389/.361 with two homers and 34 RBI in 107 games.

Ritchey came back to Vancouver in 1952 and hit .343/.504/.447 in 137 games, including career-highs with 96 runs, eight triples and 27 stolen bases, once more receiving again more walks than strikeouts (144 to 30). He almost repeated as batting champion, losing the title just by .009 points.

After that, Ritchey had a second stint in the PCL, playing three seasons for the Sacramento Solons and San Francisco Seals from 1953 through 1955. Overall. he hit .347 and slugged .469 during the two seasons.

Ritchie spent his final season in the Eastern League in 1956, appearing in 16 games for the Syracuse Chiefs and hitting .185 (10-for-54) with two doubles.

Throughout his playing days, Ritchey also remained a dedicated family man. When a reporter asked him whether he took his wife and infant daughter to Venezuela with him in the winter of 1948, he replied, "I take them everywhere I go."

According to preeminent baseball historian William Swank, "He just wanted to play baseball and be judged on his ability and not the color of his skin". Speaking at Ritchey's funeral, Swank relayed to mourners a conversation the two of them had not long before Ritchey's death. "I told Johnny," Swank recalled, "'I know you never made it to the Major Leagues, but you're going into the Major Leagues now. One way or another, your bust is going into that new ballpark they're building in downtown San Diego."

In 2005, the San Diego Padres unveiled the bust in the PCL Bar & Grill at Petco Park along the first base line. Other recognition came in 2017, when Ritchey gained induction into the Breitbard Hall of Fame.