HistoricFigure: John Joseph "Johnny" Podres - Cooperstown, NY

John Joseph "Johnny" Podres

Cooperstown, NY

N 42° 41.980 W 074° 55.404

Short Description: 

A statue of Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Johnny Podres is located on the south lawn of the National Baseball Hall of Fame at 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY.


Long Description:

A pair of life size bronze sculptures recreates the Brooklyn Dodgers battery, the pitcher and catcher, from the seventh and deciding game of the 1955 World Series. On the pitching mound is a statue of Dodger pitcher Johnny Podres. He is shown in Dodgers uniform, number 45. The left handed Podres has just thrown a pitch to the catcher Roy Campanella who is 60'6" away. He is bent over with his back and left leg horizontal to the ground. His left arm close to the ground and his gloved right hand is even with his right knee. He is placed on a circular plinth that represents the pitching mound.

A rectangular plaque behind the plinth represents the pitching rubber. It is inscribed:

The Pitcher: Johnny Podres

1998

Cast Bronze

by Stanley Bleifeld

In front of the catcher, Roy Campanella, is a five sided stone plaque representing home plate. It is inscribed:

The 

Catcher

Roy

Campanella

1998

Cast Bronze

by 

Stanley Bleifeld

These sculptures, modeled after the 1955 World Series

Game Seven Battery of Johnny Podres and Roy Campanella

were donated by an ardent fan Sheldon Fireman

in memory of all the hours he stood outside Ebbets Field

hoping beyond hope to collect an autograph

from anyone who ever played there.

May they put a smile on the faces of

all of the wonderful fans of baseball

Sheldon Fireman, July, 2001

John Joseph Podres was born on September 30, 1932 in Witherbee, NY. He played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 7, 1953. He spent most of his 15 year baseball career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He is most famous for the 1955 World Series where he won the crucial third game and pitched a shutout in the seventh and deciding game to give the Brooklyn Dodgers their first World Series championship and was voted the Most Valuable Player.

Johnny Podres was elected to the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He died at age 75 in Glens Falls, NY on January 13, 2008.