Johnny Riddle was born in Clinton, South Carolina. His playing career was unusual in that not only did he once go seven years between major league appearances, it also took a span of nineteen years to appear in seven major league seasons. In those seven seasons, he got into an average of 14 games per year. Riddle spent 19 years in minor league baseball, including a dozen seasons as a member of the Indianapolis Indians of the top-level American Association.
Riddle spent all or parts of three seasons as a player-manager in minor league baseball (1942–44), and later worked for 101⁄2 years as a coach in the National League, for the Pirates (1948–50), St. Louis Cardinals (1952–55), Milwaukee Braves (1956–57), Cincinnati Redlegs (1958) and Philadelphia Phillies (1959). He won a World Series championship ring as the first base coach of the Braves in 1957.
Riddle died at the age of 93 in Indianapolis, where he ultimately made his home after his long tenure with the Indians.[1]
