Johnny Rizzo

Who was Johnny Rizzo?

John Costa Rizzo was an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1942. Rizzo set the Pittsburgh Pirates record for most home runs in a season, with 23 in his rookie year of 1938. As of 2008, Rizzo still holds the Pirates record for most RBIs in a game, with nine.

In 1938, Rizzo's rookie season with the Pirates, he ended the season with a .301 batting average and 111 runs batted in. His 167 hits including 31 doubles, nine triples and 23 home runs. Rizzo set a Pirate record for home runs that lasted until Ralph Kiner tied Rizzo with 23 in 1946 and took sole possession with 51 in the 1947 season. Rizzo held the Pirate rookie record with Kiner until Jason Bay hit 26 in his first season in 2004. The Rookie of the Year Award had not yet been established, but Rizzo finished sixth in the balloting for National League Most Valuable Player in his inaugural season, an award won by Ernie Lombardi the Cincinnati Reds. Rizzo was third in the National League in runs batted in, fifth in home runs, sixth in runs scored and ninth in hits.

Rizzo's batting went into a slump in the 1939 season, which he finished with a .261 average, six home runs and 55 RBI.