Roy Johnson

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#0d2b56
bgcolor2=#ba313c
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Roy Johnson


position=Outfielder
bats=Left
throws=Right
birthdate=February 23, 1903
city-state|Pryor|Oklahoma
deathdate=death date and age|1973|9|10|1903|2|23
city-state|Tacoma|Washington
debutdate=April 18
debutyear=1929
debutteam=Detroit Tigers
finaldate=April 27
finalyear=1938
finalteam=Boston Bees
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.296
stat2label=HR
stat2value=1292
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=556
teams=
*Detroit Tigers (by|1929-by|1932)
*Boston Red Sox (by|1932-by|1935)
*New York Yankees (by|1936-by|1937)
*Boston Bees (by|1937-by|1938)
highlights=
*Led AL in doubles in 1929 with 45
*Led AL in triples in 1931 with 19

Roy Cleveland Johnson (February 23, 1903 - September 10, 1973) 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.

Pacific Coast League

Like his brother Bob, Johnson was one-quarter Cherokee 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.

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 League leaders in stolen bases.

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 runs and 556 RBI in 1155 games.

Johnson died in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 70.

Records

Johnson holds the following Detroit Tigers records:
* Most Runs by Rookie -- 128 (1929)
* Most Doubles by Rookie -- 45 (1929 )

Honors

* [http://www.tacomasportsmuseum.com/fame.html Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame] (member since 1960)
* [http://www.washingtonsportshalloffame.com/ State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame] (member since 1978)

ee also

* Boston Red Sox all-time roster
* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* List of Major League Baseball triples champions

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/J/Johnson_Roy.stm Baseball Library]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/johnsro02.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.redsoxconnection.com/history/rjohnson.html Red Sox Connection]
* [http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Johnson.Roy.Obit.html The Deadball Era]