Bob Johnson (infielder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bob Johnson |
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| Utility player | |||
| Born: March 4, 1936 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
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| Died: November 12, 2019 (aged 83) St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 19, 1960, for the Kansas City Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 20, 1970, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 44 | ||
| Runs batted in | 230 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Robert Wallace Johnson (born March 4, 1936 – died November 12, 2019), often called "Rocky", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for 11 seasons, from 1960 to 1970.
Rocky Johnson was known as a utility infielder and a pinch hitter. A utility player can play many different positions on the field. A pinch hitter is a player who bats in place of another player. Johnson was part of the 1966 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles team. He batted and threw with his right hand. He was about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed around 175 pounds.
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Rocky Johnson's Baseball Journey
Rocky Johnson played for seven different teams during his 11 years in Major League Baseball. He started his career with the Kansas City Athletics. He finished with the same team, but by then they had moved to Oakland.
Early Career and New Teams
In 1961, Johnson joined the Washington Senators during their very first season in the American League. After that, he moved to the Baltimore Orioles. He played four full seasons with the Orioles. During this time, he became known as a really good pinch hitter.
A Top Pinch Hitter
In 1964, Johnson was the best pinch hitter in the American League. He had 45 chances to pinch hit and got 15 hits. Three years later, in 1967, he continued to be a strong pinch hitter. That year, he got 13 pinch hits in 34 tries. He split that season between the Orioles and the National League's New York Mets.
Batting Success
Even though his overall batting average was .272, Rocky Johnson had some amazing seasons. He hit over .340 twice as a part-time player. In 1967, he hit .348 for the New York Mets. In 1969, he hit .343 for the Oakland Athletics. During the 1969 season, he got 14 pinch hits in 50 chances. He played for both Oakland and the St. Louis Cardinals that year.
Playing All Over the Infield
Rocky Johnson was a true utility player. He played every position in the infield. He played shortstop in 201 games. He played second base in 167 games. He was at third base for 166 games. And he played first base in 107 games. Throughout his career, he had 66 pinch hits in 243 tries, which matches his overall batting average of .272.
Rocky Johnson passed away on November 12, 2019, at the age of 83.
