Johnny Rutherford Didn't Race to the Majors
Turns out, the man had great *patients*
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1953 Topps Johnny Rutherford (#137) - Card of the Day
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Happy Cinco de Mayo!
And…
Happy 100th Birthday to Johnny Rutherford!
No, not that Johnny Rutherford.
If you grew up in 1) Indiana or 2) the 1960s or 1970s or 1980s, there’s a pretty decent chance you remember Johnny Rutherford as a three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Indeed, Rutherford was one of Indy’s elder statesmen during virtually my entire childhood — he ran his first 500 in 1963 and his last in 1992.
But that, Johnny Rutherford — Lone Star JR — isn’t quite century-level elder even all these years later. As I write this in early May 2025, the Indy legend is just a couple months past his 87th birthday.
No, our new (posthumous) centenarian is the baseball Johnny Rutherford, born on May 5, 1925. Probably. That Johnny Rutherford entered the world in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, but grew up in Detroit, Michigan.
A mound standout in high school, Rutherford enlisted in the Navy after graduation and served during World War II. That at least postponed any plans he might have had for making a career on the diamond, but the dream wasn’t quite dead.
Because, once his tour was up, the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Rutherford as an amateur free agent in 1947. Five short years later, mostly spent as a starter in the minors, Rutherford finally made his big league debut on April 30, 1952, five days shy of his 27th birthday.
The “young” right-hander (though he batted lefty) ended up making 11 starts among 22 total appearances for the Dodgers that season. Overall, he went 7-7 with a 4.25 ERA and 2 saves (awarded retroactively since “save” wasn’t an official thing until 1969).
Rutherford made the Dodgers’ postseason roster, too, and even came in to relieve Joe Black in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the World Series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle tagged the rookie for a leadoff triple and scored on the same play thanks to a throwing error from Pee Wee Reese.
Rutherford then walked Johnny Mize before retiring Yogi Berra, Gene Woodling, and Hank Bauer (on a looking strikeout) to end the inning.
But Mantle’s mad dash put the Yanks up 2-0, which is where the score stayed.
From there, the Yankees won the Fall Classic in seven games, and Rutherford headed back to the minors. He split 1953 between the Double-A Fort Worth Cats and the B-Level Newport News Dodgers.
Meanwhile, Dodgers fans and collectors may have been wondering where Rutherford had disappeared to, or when he would return to Ebbets Field. After all, there he was in their pile of 1953 Topps baseball cards, checking in with a big smile under his Brooklyn cap on card #137 (after first appearing as “John” on 1952 Topps #320).
And the card back? Well, that’s what gives us a bit of room for debate today. Here’s the 1991 Topps Archives version, which matches the original
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Pretty nifty display overall. But did you see the discrepancy?
Third line down from the top, in white lettering against the red field?
Yep, it does say, “Born: May 5, 1926.”
That’s 1926, not 1925, like the record books say today. But Topps was consistent, having also used 1926 on Rutherford’s 1952 card.
So which is it?
Well, all the sources I can find today (including his Find a Grave page) say “1925.” That’s almost surely the right date. Maybe a case of a player (or team) trying to boost his prospect status by shaving a year off his age?
Could be. Maybe that extra year bought Rutherford a bit of extra rope with the Dodgers, as they brought him back for another couple runs at Triple-A run in 1954 and 1955. After that age-30 season, he hung up his spikes and turned his attention elsewhere.
Nicknamed “Doc” by teammates, Rutherford followed in his father’s footsteps and became a physician (a D.O., specifically) after completing his medical degree in 1962. He eventually opened a private practice in a Detroit suburb and got down to the business of treating patients for most of his life.
This, after exhibiting monk-like patience during his baseball life.
And Oddball Willie Mays to Rev Your Hobby Engine
Since May is “500” month, and since we led off with Rutherford, I thought you might appreciate a sport mashup with a quick look at the 1968 American Oil “Winner’s Circle” card that Willie Mays shared with two-time Indy winner Parnelli Jones, of turbine engine fame.
It’s an interesting card, even if it lacks the artistry of, say a 1953 Topps beauty. Read more about this oddball Mays piece right here.
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