Johnny Gee
John Alexander Gee Jr., sometimes known as "Long John Gee" and "Whiz", was an American professional baseball and basketball player.
Gee played Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1939 to 1944 and for the New York Giants from 1944 to 1946. In August 1939, he was one of the top pitching prospects in the minor leagues when he was purchased by the Pirates in exchange for $75,000 and four players – the highest price paid by the Pirates for a player until the purchase of Hank Greenberg in 1947. After suffering an injury to his throwing arm during spring training in 1940, his performance suffered, and he was sometimes referred to as the "$75,000 lemon."
At six feet, nine inches, Gee was the tallest person to play Major League Baseball until Randy Johnson debuted for the Montreal Expos in September 1988. Gee also played professional basketball for the Syracuse Nationals. In November 1946, he became the leading scorer for the Nationals in their first home game and first win as a member of the National Basketball League.
Gee also played college baseball and basketball at the University of Michigan from 1935 to 1937. He was the captain of the 1936–37 Michigan Wolverines basketball team and struck out 21 batters in a June 1937 baseball game. He received the Big Ten Medal of Honor as the student in the Class of 1937 who had best demonstrated proficiency in both scholarship and athletics.
Early years
Gee was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1915. His parents were John Alexander Gee Sr., and Anna Alvira Gee. At the time of the 1920 U.S. Census, Gee was living with his parents and older sister Mildred in Syracuse's 13th Ward. His father was employed as a janitor at a school. Ten years later, at the time of the 1930 Census, the family remained in Syracuse, and Gee's father was employed as the superintendent of repairs for the city schools.University of Michigan (1933–1937)
After graduating from high school, Gee enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1933. While attending Michigan, he played center for the Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team from 1934 to 1937. He was the tallest basketball player in the Western Conference at the time. As a sophomore, Gee was the second leading scorer on the 1934–35 Wolverines basketball team, scoring 64 points in 17 games. He added 74 points as a junior for 1935–36 basketball team and was selected as the captain of Michigan's 1936–37 team. Despite sustaining a broken nose, Gee scored 150 points in 18 games for the Wolverines during his senior year and helped lead the team to a 16–4 record.Although known principally as a basketball player at Michigan, the school's baseball coach Ray Fisher, who had been a pitcher for the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds, persuaded Gee to play baseball as well. Gee was a pitcher for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team for three years from 1935 to 1937. On June 3, 1937, Gee struck out 21 batters and allowed only three hits in a 12–2 victory over the University of Toledo.
Gee received the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1937 as the student in the University of Michigan graduating class who had best demonstrated proficiency in both scholarship and athletics. In addition to receiving six varsity letters in basketball and baseball, Gee was also a member of the Sphinx society at Michigan and of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. He graduated in 1937 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the education school.
Professional baseball
Syracuse Chiefs (1937–1939)
After graduating from Michigan, Gee signed to play professional baseball with his hometown team – the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League. On August 3, 1937, he threw a two-hit shutout against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gee appeared in 16 games for the Chiefs in 1937, compiling a 4–3 record and a 2.90 earned run average.In April 1938, the Chiefs' new manager Jim Bottomley chose Gee as the team's opening day starting pitcher, making him the first Syracuse native to receive the honor. Gee allowed only six hits as the Chiefs defeated the Montreal Royals, 3–1, in front of an opening day crowd of 8,000 spectators. Gee appeared in 32 games for the Chiefs in 1938, 30 as a starter, and compiled a 17–11 record with a 2.71 ERA.
In 1939, Gee returned in even stronger form than 1938. He appeared in 35 games for the Chiefs, all but one as a starter, and compiled a record of 20–10 with a 3.11 ERA.
Pittsburgh Pirates (1939–1944)
Purchase by Pittsburgh
By the end of July 1939, Gee had a 16–4 record and had become one of the most sought-after pitchers in the minor leagues. Insiders opined that Gee was the best baseball player to come out of the University of Michigan since George Sisler.On August 1, 1939, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they had purchased Gee from Syracuse and that he would report to the Pirates at the end of the International League season. In exchange for Gee, the Pirates paid the Chiefs $75,000 in cash and agreed to send four players to Syracuse. The $75,000 paid to the Chiefs was the highest price paid by the Pirates for a player until the purchase of Hank Greenberg in 1947. The purchase of Gee was called "the biggest deal made in the since Baltimore peddled Lefty Grove to the Philadelphia Athletics." Because of Gee's limited success in the major leagues, it has also been called "one of the biggest busts in Pirates history."
Tallest player in the major leagues
At six feet, nine inches, Gee became the tallest player in organized baseball. Before Gee's debut, the tallest player to appear in the major leagues had been "Big Jim" Weaver, a six-foot, seven inch pitcher who debuted for the Washington Senators in 1928. Gee held the record as the tallest person ever to play Major League Baseball until Randy Johnson debuted for the Montreal Expos in September 1988.1939 season
Gee made his major league debut on September 17, 1939, against the Philadelphia Phillies. Gee held the Phillies to six hits, but the Pirates committed eight errors and lost by a 7–3 score. In his second game on September 21, 1939, Gee pitched a complete game and struck out 11 batters in a 6–4 victory over the Boston Braves. Gee appeared in three games for the Pirates in the last two weeks of the 1939 season, compiling a 1–2 record with a 4.12 ERA.1940 season
After Gee's showing in 1939, Pirates' manager Frankie Frisch looked for Gee to become one of the team's regular starters in 1940. However, Gee injured his throwing arm at the beginning of the Pirates' 1940 spring training camp and was bothered by a sore pitching arm for the remainder of the spring. Gee reportedly sustained the injury when he "opened up by throwing curves." He later recalled, "I guess I just threw too hard too soon."Gee remained with the Pirates during the opening weeks of the regular season, but he did not appear in any games. In an attempt to treat the pain in Gee's arm, the Pirates reportedly "sent him to specialists all over the country." He even had two teeth removed "in the belief that this might help with his recovery." On May 9, 1940, the Pirates returned Gee to the Syracuse Chiefs with an option to recall him on 24 hours' notice. Gee's pitching arm did not improve in Syracuse, and on June 25, 1940, the Chiefs informed the Pirates that the option had been canceled. With no room on the major league roster, the Pirates placed Gee on the voluntarily retired list for a minimum of 60 days. At the time, Gee predicted that he would be ready to return to the Pirates when the 60-day voluntary retirement period lapsed.
In July 1940, the Pirates optioned Gee to the Albany Senators in the Eastern League. Gee refused to report to Albany and was placed on the ineligible list by Pirates. Gee said at the time that he was not ready to pitch and that it was unlikely he would be able to pitch again during the 1940 season. Instead of going to Albany, Gee went to the Vermont summer home of his college coach Ray Fisher.
1941 season
In the weeks leading up to 1941 spring training, Gee traveled to Ann Arbor to train with Michigan's coach Fisher and "in an effort to recover his former ability and work the kinks out from his ailing arm." Gee told reporters, "I'm placing myself entirely under Fisher's directions.... He taught me all I know and he's the one who can straighten me out." He worked out daily with Fisher at the Yost Fieldhouse on the University of Michigan campus. In late January 1941, Fisher told the press: "All the soreness seems to be out. We don't know for sure until he starts bearing down next week, but Johnny should be a lot better pitcher this year. He's only 25 and should have a lot of good baseball ahead of him."Gee reported to the Pirates at their San Bernardino, California, training camp in late February 1941. However, by late March, the Pirates optioned Gee to the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League. Gee appeared in only two games for the Beavers, compiling a 1–0 record with a 4.50 ERA. The Beavers returned Gee to the Pirates on May 16, 1941, and the Pirates immediately optioned him to the Dallas Rebels in the Texas League. Gee was in Dallas for less than a week and did not appear in any games. On May 23, 1941, Gee left Dallas in a salary dispute. Gee reported that the Dallas team had offered him a contract at half the salary he had received in Portland. After leaving Dallas, Gee stopped in Ann Arbor to seek advice from Coach Fisher. While in Ann Arbor, Gee told reporters that "the whole trouble is with the Pirates over the matter of salary. I like Dallas."
In late June 1941, after Gee advised that he would probably remain out of baseball for the remainder of the season, the Dallas Rebels reassigned Gee to the Pirates.
In late July 1941, the Pirates again assigned Gee to the Albany Senators, Gee's third minor league team in two months. Gee wired the Pirates that he would agree to report to Albany.
Gee ultimately appeared in only three games for the Pirates in 1941, pitching seven innings and compiling a 0–2 record with a 6.14 ERA.