Johnny Vander Meer

Johnny Vander Meer is best known as the only man in history to toss back-to-back no-hitters, a feat he achieved with the Reds in 1938. While this achievement is little more than a footnote today, it was the biggest story in baseball at the time. In addition to his consecutive no-hitters, Vander Meer had a long and successful career which should be remembered in its entirety. 

    John Samuel Vander Meer was born on November 2, 1914, in Prospect Park, New Jersey. Tall but skinny as a youngster, he eventually filled out to 190 pounds during his Major League career. A lefthanded first baseman and pitcher, he converted to the mound full-time with his local semipro team and tossed five no-hitters in 1932. He signed his first professional contract in 1933, pitching to an 11-10 record at age 18. 

    Vander Meer established himself as a top pitching prospect in 1936, going 19-7 with a 3.08 ERA and 313 strikeouts in the Reds' system. However, he also walked 141 batters in 236 1/3 innings. Control would be an issue for Vander Meer throughout his career, but he could usually keep runs off the board with a low opponents' batting average and a high strikeout percentage. He finished the season as The Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year, catapulting him to the Majors in 1937. 

    Splitting time between the bullpen, the rotation, and the minors, Vander Meer pitched to a 3.84 ERA for the Reds but walked 17 more batters than he struck out. Working primarily on his control, he decreased his walk rate considerably in 1938, resulting in a breakout season (15-10 record, 3.12 ERA). On June 11, he no-hit the Boston Bees at home, and tossed a second no-hitter in as many starts against the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 15. 

    With his historic performance, Vander Meer became only the fourth pitcher in history to throw two no-hitters in an entire career. The feat was well-known and publicized, as he was honored in local celebrations, given a salary raise, selected to the NL all-star team, and named honorary mayor of Tampa, Florida (where the Reds played spring training games). He missed nearly a month later in the season with an illness requiring hospitalization, but was nevertheless named The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year, making him the first man ever to be Minor League and Major League Player of the Year. 

    Despite his success, Vander Meer could not replicate his performance in 1939, as injuries and illness limited him to 129 innings, in which he posted a mediocre 4.67 ERA. He spent most of 1940 in the minors but returned late in the season to help the Reds clinch the NL pennant. He pitched three scoreless innings in Game 5 of the World Series en route to a World Championship. 

    His late-season performance seemed to spark new life in Vander Meer, as he won 16, 18, and 15 games from 1941 through 1943 and led the NL in strikeouts each season. During those three seasons, he had a composite 2.71 ERA. However, his run of success was put to an abrupt halt by the escalation of World War II, and he missed the next two seasons to military service. 

    When he returned to the mound, Vander Meer was not quite the same, pitching to a 10-12 record and 3.17 ERA in 1946. He won 17 games in 1948 in what proved to be his final good season, and hung around through 1951 in various part-time roles. Vander Meer finished his MLB career with a 119-121 record and a 3.44 ERA, but pitched in the minors through 1955, tossing a no-hitter for the Tulsa Oilers in 1952. He appeared on 14 Hall of Fame ballots, earning as much as 29.8% of the BBWAA vote in 1967. 

    Johnny Vander Meer was a very fine pitcher in his day. Although best known for his consecutive no-hitters, his career was much longer and more notable than one accomplishment. He deserves to be remembered for nearly two decades of success on the mound, not just one incredible feat.