Johnny Logan obit

Johnny Logan was spark plug of champion Braves

He was not on the list.

It made everyone's day brighter when Johnny Logan showed up at Miller Park.

"He's been such a fixture in Milwaukee and with the organization," said Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker, a close friend of the former Milwaukee Braves shortstop.

"No matter what he did, he was always a Brewer. He wasn't a Brave — he was a Brewer. He loved baseball. He loved being with the Brewers, he really did."

It was with great sadness that everyone associated with the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers learned Friday night that Logan died at Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He was 86.

Logan, who made his home in Milwaukee after retiring, was at Miller Park as recently as last Sunday, visiting with Uecker and other friends, including former Milwaukee Sentinel sports columnist Bud Lea.

Logan, who battled several health issues and was using a wheelchair of late, entered the hospital Tuesday with circulation problems in his legs and feet. He developed an infection that spread quickly and contributed to his death.

Logan's three sons, Jimmy, John Daniel and Jeff, were at his side when he died.

"He was a fighter," said Jimmy. "He lasted a long time. He was suffering a little bit but went peacefully at the end."

Logan played for the Braves from 1953 to June 15, 1961, when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Gino Cimoli. He played for the Pirates through the 1963 season.

In a 13-year career, Logan batted .268 with 93 home runs, 547 runs batted in, 651 runs scored and 1,407 hits in 1,503 games. He was a four-time all-star, including three in a row from 1957-'59.

Logan played next to Hall of Fame third baseman Eddie Mathews, and both were known for their feisty nature on the field. Logan once charged Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale for throwing pitches at him but was intercepted before he made it to the mound. Mathews was right behind him, however, and connected with several punches to Drysdale.

"I would start the fights and he would finish them," Logan once said. "We could always handle ourselves."

Logan was on first base on Sept. 23, 1957, when Hank Aaron socked an 11th-inning home run off St. Louis' Billy Muffett to clinch the NL pennant. The Braves went on to upset the favored New York Yankees in seven games in the World Series, bringing Milwaukee its only championship.

Logan led the National League by playing in all 154 games in 1954 and 1955 and also topped that circuit with 37 doubles in '55. He finished his professional career in 1964 with the Nankai Hawks of the Japanese League.

The Brewers inducted Logan into the Miller Park Walk of Fame in June. The club issued this statement about his passing:

"Johnny Logan was a longtime friend to Milwaukee baseball. His connection to both the Brewers and the Braves and the Milwaukee community was very strong. Virtually every person associated with the Milwaukee Brewers has been touched by Johnny through his many visits to the ballpark and terrific stories about his time in the game. We will miss Johnny deeply and will never forget his colorful character and personality."

Logan, who lost three bids to become Milwaukee County sheriff, did some scouting in Wisconsin for the Brewers and also helped create the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association, remaining active in the organization dedicated to keeping alive the memory of that highly successful ball club.

"Without him, there would have been no Braves association," said Lea, another leader in that organization. "When they tore County Stadium down, he said, 'We've got to have something to remember the Milwaukee Braves.'"

Logan was a familiar sight at Miller Park in recent years, often dropping by to chat with players and staff, and cheer on the Brewers. Acquaintances looked forward to his malapropisms and stories.

"He was a character, but he also was a wonderful player," said baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who grew up watching the Braves at County Stadium. "Of all the great hitters on those Braves teams — Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Red Schoendienst, Joe Adcock — Johnny was one of the best clutch hitters they had. He was a critical part of those teams."

"He's one of my best friends. Even though you know it's coming, it's still hard," an emotional Uecker said before the Brewers' game in Seattle. "For a guy to come to Milwaukee and make his home there the rest of the time. ... He never left. Ended up working for the organization.

"He loved being with the Brewers, going out and scouting some of these guys. Johnny would go to any game in the area and he always had reports for the Brewers. We all know some of the quotations, things that he did, but the more intricate he got, the worse the language became. That's what was always so funny about it."

When Logan's sons exited the VA Hospital Friday night, the first thing they saw was Miller Park. They decided to go over to Friday's Front Row Restaurant to hoist a beer to their father's baseball career and life.

"It seemed like the right thing to do," said John Daniel. "He's up there in heaven now with Eddie Mathews and the rest of his teammates."