Johnny Welaj

Who was Johnny Welaj?

John Ludwig Welaj was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He played four seasons in the majors, between 1939 and 1943, for the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics.

Welaj also had an extensive minor league career, spanning 21 seasons from 1936 until 1956. In 1955, he served as manager of the Hagerstown Packets in the Senators' organization. He was a player-manager of the Erie Senators in 1956, then returned to full-time managing with the Midland/Lamesa Indians in 1957.

After 1957, Welaj continued to work as a major league executive for the Senators and Texas Rangers. From 1973 until 1984, he served as director of stadium operations for the Rangers, after which he retired as a full-time employee. He continued to serve as the Rangers' spring training director until 1999. Welaj died in 2003 at the age of 89.