Roy Johnson
Encyclopedia
Roy Cleveland Johnson was a left fielder
/right fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Detroit Tigers
(1929–32), Boston Red Sox
(1932–35), New York Yankees
(1936–37) and Boston Bees
(1937–38). A native of Pryor, Oklahoma, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. His younger brother, Indian Bob Johnson, also was a major league player.
and grew up in Tacoma, Washington
. Basically a contact, line-drive hitter, he was a fine outfielder
with a strong throwing arm. From 1926 to 1928, he teamed with Earl Averill
and Smead Jolley
to give the San Francisco Seals
of the Pacific Coast League
one of its most feared hitting-outfields in minor league
history.
leaders in stolen base
s.
In his 1929 debut, Johnson became the first rookie
in major league history to get 200 hits
in a season (201) and also led the AL with 45 doubles
and 640 at-bats while hitting .314 with a career-high 128 runs
. In 1931, he led the AL with 19 triples
and stole 33 bases.
Traded by Detroit to the Red Sox in the 1932 midseason, Johnson enjoyed three productive years with Boston hitting .313 with 95 runs batted in during 1933, following with career-highs .320 and 119 RBI in 1934, and .315 in 1935. After that, he became a part-time outfielder with the Yankees as he appeared in the 1936 World Series
. He played his final game with the Boston Bees in the 1938 season.
In a ten-season career, Johnson was a .296 hitter with 58 home run
s and 556 RBI in 1155 games.
Johnson died in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 70.
records:
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
/right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1929–32), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1932–35), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1936–37) and Boston Bees
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1937–38). A native of Pryor, Oklahoma, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. His younger brother, Indian Bob Johnson, also was a major league player.
Pacific Coast League
Like his brother Bob, Johnson was one-quarter CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and grew up in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. Basically a contact, line-drive hitter, he was a fine outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with a strong throwing arm. From 1926 to 1928, he teamed with Earl Averill
Earl Averill
Howard Earl Averill was an American player in Major League Baseball who was a center fielder from 1929 to 1941...
and Smead Jolley
Smead Jolley
Smead Powell Jolley was an outfielder in Major League baseball for four seasons during the 1930s....
to give the San Francisco Seals
San Francisco Seals (PCL)
The San Francisco Seals were a minor league baseball team in San Francisco, California, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 until 1957 before transferring to Phoenix, Arizona...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
one of its most feared hitting-outfields in minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
history.
Major league playing career
Johnson, who spent most of his time in the majors with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, also played in part of two seasons both for the New Yankees and Boston Bees. A four-time .300 hitter, he often finished among the American LeagueAmerican League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
leaders in stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
In his 1929 debut, Johnson became the first rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in major league history to get 200 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in a season (201) and also led the AL with 45 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 640 at-bats while hitting .314 with a career-high 128 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. In 1931, he led the AL with 19 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and stole 33 bases.
Traded by Detroit to the Red Sox in the 1932 midseason, Johnson enjoyed three productive years with Boston hitting .313 with 95 runs batted in during 1933, following with career-highs .320 and 119 RBI in 1934, and .315 in 1935. After that, he became a part-time outfielder with the Yankees as he appeared in the 1936 World Series
1936 World Series
The 1936 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games to earn their fifth championship....
. He played his final game with the Boston Bees in the 1938 season.
In a ten-season career, Johnson was a .296 hitter with 58 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 556 RBI in 1155 games.
Johnson died in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 70.
Records
Johnson holds the following Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
records:
- Most Runs by Rookie—128 (1929)
- Most Doubles by Rookie—45 (1929)
Honors
- Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame (member since 1960)
- State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame (member since 1978)