Roy Johnson (pitcher)

Roy Johnson (October 1, 1895 – January 10, 1986) was an American right-handed pitcher and longtime coach in Major League Baseball. He also was the interim manager of the Chicago Cubs for one game in 1944. He was nicknamed "Hardrock" as a minor league manager because his teams played in a tough, uncompromising way.

This article is about the pitcher, coach and manager. For the Major League Baseball outfielder of the 1930s, see Roy Johnson (1930s outfielder).
For the Major League Baseball outfielder of the 1980s, see Roy Johnson (1980s outfielder).
Roy Johnson
Pitcher
Born: (1895-10-01)October 1, 1895
Madill, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died: January 10, 1986(1986-01-10) (aged 90)
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 7, 1918, for the Philadelphia Athletics
Last MLB appearance
September 2, 1918, for the Philadelphia Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record1–5
Earned run average3.42
Strikeouts12
Teams
As player

As manager

As coach

Early life and career

Johnson was born in Madill, Oklahoma. He entered pro baseball in 1915, and, in his only big league season, the war-shortened 1918 campaign, he compiled a 1–5 win–loss mark (.167) and a 3.42 earned run average in ten games and 50 innings pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics. He returned to the minor leagues as a pitcher thereafter and became a manager with Bisbee of the Class D Arizona–Texas League in 1929.

In 1935, Johnson was promoted to a coaching position with the Cubs by manager Charlie Grimm. He was associated with the Cubs for the remainder of his career as a coach (1935–39; 1944–53), minor league pilot, and scout. The Cubs won three National League pennants (1935, 1938 and 1945) during Johnson's 15 total years as a coach.

On May 3, 1944, with the Cubs having lost nine of their first ten National League games, he served as interim manager for one game, between Jimmie Wilson and Grimm's second term; Chicago lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 10–4, their tenth defeat in a row.

Johnson died at age 90 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

References
  • J.G. Taylor Spink, ed., The Baseball Register. St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1949.
  • The Baseball Encyclopedia, Macmillan Books, 10th edition.
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