03/21/2026
Curtis Johnson
Salute to the Negro Leagues
In our ongoing Salute to the Negro Leagues, the Schott - Pelican Chapter of SABR would like to introduce you to pitcher Curtis Johnson. The following information was compiled by SABR member Richard Cuicchi:
When baseball history buffs recall black players from the New Orleans area, names like Johnny Wright, John Bissant, Dave Malarcher, Walter Wright, Herb Simpson, and Lloyd Bassett usually surface. All of them had their start in the Negro Leagues, while some of them also went on to play in the minor leagues after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1946.
A lesser-known Black pitcher named Curtis Johnson, born in New Orleans in 1932, emerged as a talented professional pitcher in the early 1950s. In a 1957 Louisiana Weekly story about Johnson, he was noted as a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, and he played with several semi-pro Black teams in the New Orleans area. Johnson gained notoriety as a pitcher and outfielder by playing with the St. Rose Travelers, Carrollton Play House, and Kenner White Sox.
According to his Sporting News Player Card, he played for Grambling College in 1952 and 1953.
The 6-foot-two, 180-pound righthander signed a contract with Joplin in August 1953 and was later optioned to Class D Paris (Illinois) of the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League for the 1954 season. In 33 appearances as both a starter and reliever, the 23-year-old finished with a 5-5 record and 6.63 ERA.
After missing the 1955 and 1956 baseball seasons due to military service, he returned with Class D St. Petersburg in the New York Yankees organization in 1957. He became one of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects in the low minors. In one series against Aberdeen, he won both ends of a doubleheader. Johnson was the winning pitcher in the Florida State League All-Star Game, He finished the season with a 16-12 record and 3.17 ERA. He posted 17 complete games in 22 starts. He was also used as a two-way player, racking up 67 games in centerfield.
Johnson was promoted to Class C Fargo-Moorhead (Minnesota) of the Northern League in 1958, where he was used exclusively as a reliever on the pitching staff and played 15 games in the outfield. He was 9-6 with a 3.09 ERA in 44 appearances.
He played for Fargo-Moorhead again in 1959, but control problems contributed to the end of his bid to become the first Black pitcher for the Yankees. He went 3-3 with a 7.30 ERA and 2.151 WHIP.
Johnson’s latest struggle in the low minors at age 28 resulted in the end of his professional career. Al Downing would become the first Black pitcher for the big league Yankees in 1961.
Johnson served over two decades for St. Charles Parish, including councilman from 1988 to 2000. He died at age 71 in 2004.
