Roy Johnson (1980s outfielder)
Encyclopedia
Roy Edward Johnson was an outfielder
in Major League Baseball
, playing mainly at center field in parts of three seasons for the Montreal Expos
(1982, 1984-85). Listed at 6' 4", 205 lb., Johnson batted and threw left-handed
. A native of Parkin, Arkansas
, he was selected by the Expos in the 5th round of the 1980 draft out of Tennessee State University
.
Johnson was a distinguished hitter in the minors
, but he was not able to translate it to major league success. He hit a .361 batting average
with 90 RBI
and a .561 slugging for the 1982 Wichita Aeros
, where he also played in 1983. Dealt to the Oakland Athletics
, he played for Triple-A Tacoma Tigers during three seasons (1986-87), hitting .343 in 1986. He posted a .171 average (12-for-70) with one home run
and four RBI in 36 major league games. In an eight-season minors career, he hit .291 with 85 homers and 428 RBI in 773 games, including a .829 on-base plus slugging
. He also played for the Piratas de Campeche
of the Mexican League and later became their hitting coach
.
Johnson died at his San Francisco de Campeche home of a heart attack at the age of 49. He was buried at Jardines del Angel Cemetery, in Campeche.
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...
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...
, playing mainly at center field in parts of three seasons for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1982, 1984-85). Listed at 6' 4", 205 lb., Johnson batted and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
. A native of Parkin, Arkansas
Parkin, Arkansas
Parkin is a city in Cross County, Arkansas, in the United States, along the St. Francis River. The population was 1,602 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Parkin is located at ....
, he was selected by the Expos in the 5th round of the 1980 draft out of Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
.
Johnson was a distinguished hitter in the minors
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...
, but he was not able to translate it to major league success. He hit a .361 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 90 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
and a .561 slugging for the 1982 Wichita Aeros
Wichita Aeros
The Wichita Aeros was a minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the AAA American Association from 1970 through 1984....
, where he also played in 1983. Dealt to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, he played for Triple-A Tacoma Tigers during three seasons (1986-87), hitting .343 in 1986. He posted a .171 average (12-for-70) with one 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...
and four RBI in 36 major league games. In an eight-season minors career, he hit .291 with 85 homers and 428 RBI in 773 games, including a .829 on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
. He also played for the Piratas de Campeche
Piratas de Campeche
The Piratas de Campeche are a AAA-level baseball team playing in the Mexican League LMB based in Campeche, Campeche, Mexico.-History:...
of the Mexican League and later became their hitting coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
.
Johnson died at his San Francisco de Campeche home of a heart attack at the age of 49. He was buried at Jardines del Angel Cemetery, in Campeche.
Facts
- Johnson is regarded as one of the most powerful foreign-born hitters to play in Mexican baseball. Well known as the "Arkansas Train," he shares the Mexican League record for most home runs in one game with four, and hit more home runs than any other player in the Campeche team history, with 114.
- The 1982 Expos had Andre DawsonAndre DawsonAndre Nolan Dawson , nicknamed "The Hawk", is an American former center fielder and right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played for four different teams, spending most of his career with the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs .An 8-time National League All-Star, he was named the...
, Tim RainesTim RainesTimothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
and Warren CromartieWarren CromartieWarren Livingston Cromartie is a retired American baseball player.-Baseball career:Warren Cromartie debuted with the Montreal Expos of the Major Leagues on September 6, 1974 after being picked 6th in the 1973 amateur draft...
as regulars in the outfield, with Terry FranconaTerry FranconaTerry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
and Johnson serving in backup roles.