Books and articles about Davey Johnson

Johnson was a three-time Gold Glove winner for the Orioles at second base (1969-71) and a good enough fielder to play 43 games at shortstop, filling in for Mark Belanger. But he is known as a home run hitter and as a manager. In 1973 his 43 HR, one behind the NL leader, set the ML record for second basemen as the Braves became the only team ever to have three 40-HR men: Johnson, Hank Aaron, and Darrell Evans. Johnson hit .270 that year, with career highs of 99 RBI, 84 runs, and 81 walks, and was TSN's NL Comeback Player of the Year.

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The Orioles had traded him because manager Earl Weaver felt that Johnson had lost too much range afield by bulking up for power; Bobby Grich took over the job. Prior to that Johnson had led AL second basemen in putouts (1970), double plays (1971), fielding (1972), and errors (1966, his rookie season). Even before his surprising power in 1973, he'd been a useful hitter, finishing fourth in the AL in doubles in 1967 and third in 1969. That year, when the Orioles lost to the Miracle Mets in the World Series, Johnson's fly ball to Cleon Jones was the final out. He had better luck in 1970, hitting two homers in the LCS as Baltimore swept the Twins. His best offensive figures for Baltimore came in 1971, when he hit .282 with 18 HR and 72 RBI. After he dropped off to .221 with five HR in 1972, he was traded to Atlanta with Pat Dobson, Roric Harrison, and Johnny Oates for Earl Williams and a throw-in. Besides his record-setting power performance, Johnson tied for the NL lead in double plays by a second baseman, but he also led in errors and couldn't cover as much ground as he once had. He split 1974 between first and second and fell off to .251 with 15 HR, and after one pinch at-bat in 1975 he signed with the Yomiuri Giants for two years. In Japan, he became the only player to be a teammate of both Hank Aaron and Sadaharu Oh. He was a disappointment in his first year overseas (.197, 13 HR), but he improved to .275 with 26 HR in 1976.

Johnson made it back to the majors with the division-winning 1977 Phillies as a utility man and pinch hitter (9-for-26), hitting .321 with eight HR in 156 at-bats. In 1978 he tied a ML record with two pinch grand slams. But although he hit .333 in the pinch, his overall average dropped to .232.

Johnson began his managerial career in 1979. He won pennants in each of his three seasons in the minors and advanced quickly through the Mets' system, jumping over more experienced managerial candidates. Mets GM Frank Cashen had been the GM at Baltimore during Johnson's time there. Johnson, who earned a mathematics degree from Trinity (Texas) University, gained immediate attention for his use of computers to compile player data. His attention to batter-pitcher matchups for platooning and in-game switches was learned from Earl Weaver. Johnson's strategy also owes much to his former manager. He dislikes the bunt and manages according to the credos of "pitching and three-run homers" and "play for one run, lose by one run." Johnson took over a team that hadn't won a pennant since 1973 but was ready to win after being rebuilt from the minors up by Cashen and the Mets' new owners. Johnson went on to become the first NL manager to win at least 90 games in each of his first five seasons, winning the World Championship in 1986 and the NL East in 1988 and finishing second in the other years. (SH)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 27, 1965: The official number of foreigners permitted on each Japanese team is lowered from three to 2. The Yomiuri Giants announce they will henceforth have no foreigners—a policy that lasts until 1975, when they sign 2B Davey Johnson. » May 17, 1967: The Orioles become the 8th club in American League history with four or more home runs in one inning when Andy Etchebarren, Sam Bowens, Boog Powell, and Dave Johnson connect in a 9-run 7th. Also homering for Baltimore is Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Paul Blair, the only time seven teammates have each homered. Those home runs make the difference in a 12–8 Baltimore win over the Red Sox. Boston's Carl Yastrzemski hits two homers, one coming in the bottom of the 7th; the total of five in one inning equals the ML record. Rounding out the round trippers is Don Demeter for Boston. » June 7, 1968: The A's Blue Moon Odom's bid for a no-hitter is spoiled by Davey Johnson, who singles with two outs in the 9th inning. Odom tops Baltimore, 6–1. » November 30, 1972: Twelve transactions, involving 36 players, take place. Among those sent to new clubs are OF Larry Hisle (to the Twins), 2B Dave Johnson (Braves), OF Del Unser (Phils), Oscar Gamble (Indians), Cesar Tovar (Phils) and OF Hal McRae and P Wayne Simpson (Royals). » September 10, 1973: Against the Giants, Hank Aaron connects for his 37th homer (career #710) in the 3rd inning, and then is lifted in the 4th when he doesn't feel well. Infielder Marty Perez pinch hits for Aaron. Davey Johnson adds his 40th homer of the year. » April 30, 1978: Dave Johnson's pinch grand slam snaps a 5th inning tie with the Padres, and powers the Phils to an 11–4 win. » June 3, 1978: The Phils Davey Johnson breaks up a 1–1, 9th-inning tie with Los Angeles by hitting his 2nd pinch grand slam of the year. His first came on April 30th when he broke up a 5th-inning tie in San Diego. Johnson is the first ML player to accomplish this feat, but Mike Ivie will duplicate it later this month. » September 19, 1983: Denver (AA) beats Portland (PCL) 5–4 to give the Tidewater Tides (IL) the championship in the first AAA World Series. Manager Davey Johnson's Tides won three of their four games in the double round-robin tournament to edge 2nd-place Portland, which finished 2–2. » August 8, 1984: The Cubs tighten their grip on first place in the National League East with a 7–6 win over the Mets at Wrigley Field, completing a 4-game series sweep. Keith Moreland leads the way with three hits and four RBIs. Hubie Brooks is 4-for-4 with four runs for New York. Davey Johnson gets tossed in the 7th after Bob Dernier gets hit by a pitch, a continuation of yesterday's beanballing. Cubs manager Jim Frey follows Johnson in the 9th when Smith throws behind George Foster. » July 22, 1986: The Mets win a crazy five-hour marathon with the Reds in 14 innings, winning 6–3 (as recalled by Bill Deane). Setting the tone, Darryl Strawberry is ejected after arguing a called 3rd strike in the 5th. In the 9th, Howard Johnson inadvertently kicks the ball after Reds C Bo Diaz drops a third strike. Johnson runs out of the baseline and is hit in the back with the throw from pitcher Ron Robinson. Reds coach Billy DeMars is ejected for arguing the safe call. The Mets, down 3–1, with two out, tie the game when Dave Parker who drops a routine fly ball. In the 10th, Davey Johnson sends in pitcher Rick Aguilera to hit for pitcher Doug Sisk. Aguilera walks, but is stranded. In the Reds 10th, pinch-runner Eric Davis steals 2B and 3B, bumping into Ray Knight. Knight decks Davis and both benches empty. Knight, Davis, Kevin Mitchell and Mario Soto are ejected. Gary Carter moves to 3B, McDowell comes in to pitch, and Orosco moves from the mound to RF. With two out and a runner on 2B in the 11th, Orosco returns to pitch, McDowell moves to LF, and Mookie Wilson shifts to right. Rose protests when Orosco is permitted eight warm-up pitches. Orosco whiffs Max Venable to end the inning. In the 12th, The Mets are forced to lead off the inning with Orosco and McDowell, and go down in order. McDowell returns to pitch in the 13th and gets Tony Perez to fly to Orosco in right. Howard Johnson belts a three-run homer in the 14th and McDowell retires the side in order. » May 29, 1990: With the team struggling (20-22), the Mets fire manager Davey Johnson, whose 6-year winning percentage was .593. Coach Buddy Harrelson replaces him and the Mets will win 20 of their next 23 games before cooling down. » May 24, 1993: Davey Johnson replaces Tony Perez as manager of the Reds. » September 5, 1995: The Astros defeat the Reds, 10-1, in a game marked by a bench-clearing brawl that will lead to suspensions for Xavier Hernandez (8 games), Doug Drabek (5), Pat Borders (5), Ron Gant (4), Davey Johnson (2), and Terry Collins (2). Intentional walks backfire twice for Cincy. Ahead 1–0, they walk Jeff Bagwell in the 3rd (with Craig Biggio on 2B and one out)and Mike Simms homers. Undeterred, the Reds gave a free pass to pinch-hitter Dave Magadan in the 7th (with men on 2B and 3B and one out) and the score just 4–1. Derrick May then hits a grand slam. » October 30, 1995: The Orioles name Davey Johnson as their new manager. » November 5, 1997: Davey Johnson resigns as manager of the Orioles just hours before he is named the American League Manager of the Year. Baltimore owner Peter Angelos had refused to give Johnson a vote of confidence after saying earlier that Johnson would be back in 1998. » August 4, 1998: OF Darryl Strawberry's pinch-hitter grand slam is the big blow in NY's 9–run 9th inning, as the Yankees come from behind to defeat the A's 10–5 in the 2nd game of a DH. It is his 2nd pinch-hitter slam of the season, setting a new American League record, and tying the National League mark held by his former manager, Davey Johnson, and Mike Ivie, both set in 1978. New York also wins the 1st game of the twinbill, 10–4. » April 5, 1999: Dodgers OF Raul Mondesi hits a 2–outs, 3–run home run in the bottom of the 9th to tie the score, then hits a 2–out, 2–run homer in the last of the 11th to win the game as LA defeats Arizona, 8–6. Mondesi drives in a total of six runs as Davey Johnson wins his managerial debut with the Dodgers. » July 16, 2000: Dodgers manager Davey Johnson is hospitalized after experiencing dizziness as a result of an irregular heartbeat. » October 6, 2000: Davey Johnson is fired as manager of the Dodgers, the 5th manager let go this month.