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Cumberland, John (1971)

Writer: Maine Baseball HOF
Maine Baseball HOF
Aug 12, 2019
2 min read



Johnny C of the San Francisco Giants said the induction to the Maine Baseball HOF was "the perfect climax to my biggest year". The Paper city (aka Westbrook) southpaw was honored by some 200 at the annual dinner, and he was exceptionally pleased with the turnout as it gave him a chance to personally thank all his friends and fans for the support given hi this past season. "Especially does that include my parents, and it certainly is good to be back in Maine" . Johnny introduced his wife Pat, and paid tribute to the high school and legion ball coaches Mickey Dolan, Luther Small, and Joe Morse. He had fellow Paper city well wishers Gene Hebert, Roland Chamard, Ovide Caron, Billy Hamilton and Bunky Buotte there to cheer him on as well. Johnny C received a telegram from Jeff Jones, New England scout who signed him for the St Louis Cardinals organization in 1966 and said he'd make it to the top in 5 years. He went from the cards to the Yankees in '68 and wound up with the Giants in 1970 . The shift worked wonders for him and the Giants, they lost division honors in the last couple days in '71 with Willie Mays and Juan Marichael as teammates .


From wiki .

He played one season of college baseball at Maine in 1966.

Batted: Right Threw: Left MLB debut September 27, 1968, for the New York Yankees

Last MLB appearance July 27, 1974, for the California Angels

MLB statistics

Win–loss record 15–16 Strikeouts 137 Earned Run Average 3.82


From Topps

Cumberland pitched four innings for the Yankees over those two appearances, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks, not factoring in a decision.

The previous season he had his first taste of the Big Leagues, pitching in one game at the end of the year, throwing two innings and allowing two earned runs.

In 1970 he would be traded to the San Francisco Giants for veteran pitcher Mike McCormick, where he would have his best season as a Major Leaguer in 1971, going 9-5 with a nice .292 ERA over 45 appearances and 185 innings of work, including two shutouts.

However he would find himself struggling in 1972, going 1-5 with a bloated 7.71 ERA in 23 games, finding himself with the St. Louis Cardinals by season’s end, then spending all of 1973 in the Minor Leagues before making it back in 1974 with the California Angels where he appeared in the final 17 games of his 6-year career, going 0-1 with a 3.74 ERA over 21.2 innings pitched.

All told, he finished his playing career with a record of 15-16, with a 3.82 earned run average over 110 appearances and 334.1 innings pitched, with two shutouts and two saves.






 
 
 

Comments

Meet the 2026 Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
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Portland Press Herald 4/10/2026
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/10/meet-the-2026-maine-baseball-hall-of-fame-inductees/?copylink=true

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Former St. Dominic and current Gray-New Gloucester coach Bob Blackman and Cony coach Don Plourde are among the 11 members of the newest class. Four coaches currently preparing for the upcoming high school baseball season are among the 11 inductees in the 2026 Maine Baseball Hall of Fame class.

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Gray-New Gloucester’s Bob Blackman, Brewer’s Dana Corey, Hampden Academy’s Jon Perry and Cony’s Don Plourde are all part of the class that will be inducted on Oct. 4 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. Blackman coached St. Dominic High School to nine state championships in 22 seasons before the school closed at the end of the last school year. He was named the coach at Gray-New Gloucester in September. Corey hit .359 at the University of Maine in 1971. He played two seasons in the Chicago Cubs system and has been the head coach at Brewer for 18 seasons.

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Perry hit .381 at the University of Maine in 1981 and helped the Black Bears reach the College World Series. He has coached for the past 45 seasons at the high school, American Legion and collegiate levels. 

Plourde is in his 17th season as the coach at Cony High School and has been named the KVAC Coach of the Year five times. He has been coaching at various levels for more than 30 years. 

Others earning induction are: 

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• Al Cloutier, who has been involved in baseball in Augusta as a player, Cony High and American Legion coach, Babe Ruth League director and volunteer. 

• John Kolasinski, who was a college coach at for 37 years, first at Husson and later at Siena Heights University in Michigan. He is a five-time New England Coach of the Year winner.

• Mark Littlefield, a Portland High graduate, who is now in his 36th season working on the medical staff of the New York Yankees organization. 

• Scott Littlefield, a Portland High graduate, who will be inducted posthumously. Littlefield coached at Florida State University and the University of Southern Maine before working for 34 years as a Major League Baseball scout, including 16 as a player personnel special assistant for the Texas Rangers.

• J. Ronald Livington, who will be inducted posthumously. Livingston was an All-Star infielder for the semi-pro Presque Isle Indians in the Northern Aroostook League in the 1930 and 1940s. He also coached and was a director in the South Portland National Little League.

• Mike McCullum, of Portland, who hit .338 at the University of Southern Maine and earned ABCA Division III All-American honors in 1999. 

• Jim Taylor of Lewiston, who was a founding member of the Central Maine Board of Approved Baseball Umpires and was instrumental in starting the Maine chapter of the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Association.

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Maine Baseball Hall of Fame day  Delta Dental Park aka Hadlock Field 7/19/2026
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