John Samuel Vander Meer (1914 - 1997)

Born 2 Nov 1914 in Prospect Park, Passaic, New Jersey, United States

Husband of Lois Louise (Stewart) Vander Meer — married 12 Oct 1940 in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, United States

Died 6 Oct 1997 at age 82 in Tampa, Hillsborough, Florida, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Margaret Summitt [send private message]

Biography

John Vander Meer is gerelateerd aan Nederland.

John Vander Meer is Notable.

Johnny Vander Meer achieved baseball immortality on June 15, 1938 by pitching back-to-back no-hitters, a feat that has never been duplicated.

He was the son of Jacobus van der Meer and Trijntje "Katie" van der Wal. His parents were Dutch immigrants. He learned to play baseball at the age of 8. At age 14 he contracted an almost fatal case of peritonitis. When he recovered, high school had already started so he dropped out. He went to work as an apprentice engraver at the factory where his father worked – and he continued to play baseball.

He was looking for a way to break into major league baseball when National League officials found in Johnny a "typical American boy" to star in a film designed to promote baseball. It was not the film itself that led to a break, but the recommendation of a Brooklyn Dodgers scout brought him to minor league teams in the early 1930s.

It was while he playing for the Scranton, Pa. team that he met Lois Louise Stewart. They were married 12 Oct 1940 in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania.^[1] She was the daughter of Alva Stewart and Evelyn Sweet.

The Cincinnati Reds invited Vander Meer to spring training in 1937. He was up and down from the majors that season. In 1938 he was again a starting pitcher and went on a nine-game winning streak before his double no-hitters on June 11 and June 15. He finished the season with a 15-10 record.

He pitched in the 1940 World Series, and served in the U.S. Navy in World War II.

After the war he pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 1950, was released, and pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1951. He did not pitch in the major leagues after that.

He continued to manage for 10 years, mostly with teams in the South. Then family pressures led him to retire from baseball for good.

After baseball Vander Meer worked for Schlitz Brewing Co. for 15 years. He also spent time playing in old-timer’s games, attending autograph signings, and fishing. He died on October 6, 1997, in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 82. He was preceded in death by his wife and two daughters. He was survived by a sister and two grandchildren. He was buried holding a baseball in his left hand.^[2]

A link to his Wikipedia page is here:^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VF7X-FL4 : 10 March 2021), John S. Vandermeer and Lois Louise Stewart, 12 Oct 1940; citing Marriage, Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, United States, multiple County Clerks, Pennsylvania.
2. ↑ "Johnny Vander Meer," by James W. Johnson, Society for American Baseball Research, https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/johnny-vander-meer/
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Vander_Meer

• "New Jersey State Census, 1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9W-984D : 23 February 2021), John Vander Meer in household of Jacob Vander Meer, Prospect Park Borough, 2 district, Passaic, New Jersey, United States; citing sheet #11A, household 222, line #46, New Jersey State Library, Trenton; FHL microfilm 1,465,557.
• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4PL-193 : Fri Jul 28 15:28:35 UTC 2023), Entry for Jaboc Van Der Meer and Katie Van Der Meer, 1920.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X48F-C5R : accessed 31 July 2023), John Vann Meer in household of Jacob Vann Meer, Midland Park, Bergen, New Jersey, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 166, sheet 4A, line 21, family 86, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1314; FHL microfilm 2,341,049.
• "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VV6D-HWL : 25 December 2014), John S Vander Meer, 06 Oct 1997; from "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," index, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : 2004); citing vol. , certificate number 115837, Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, Jacksonville.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6201492/johnny-vander_meer: accessed 30 July 2023), memorial page for Johnny Vander Meer (2 Nov 1914–6 Oct 1997), Find a Grave Memorial ID 6201492, citing Garden of Memories Cemetery, Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.