Charles Johnson (catcher) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Johnson
Johnson in 2018
Catcher
Born: (1971-07-20) July 20, 1971 (age 53) Fort Pierce, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
May 6, 1994, for the Florida Marlins
Last appearance
June 11, 2005, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays
MLB statistics
Batting average	.245
Home runs	167
Runs batted in	570
Teams
Florida Marlins (1994–1998) Los Angeles Dodgers (1998) Baltimore Orioles (1999–2000) Chicago White Sox (2000) Florida Marlins (2001–2002) Colorado Rockies (2003–2004) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (1997, 2001) World Series champion (1997) 4× Gold Glove Award (1995–1998)
Medals Men's baseball Representing USA Pan American Games Bronze 1991 Havana Team World Junior Baseball Championship Gold 1988 Sydney Team

Charles Edward Johnson Jr. (born July 20, 1971) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for many teams. These included the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Charles Johnson was known as one of the best defensive catchers of his time. He won four Gold Glove Awards in a row from 1995 to 1998. He was also a two-time All-Star player. In 1997, he helped the Florida Marlins win the World Series. He is one of only three catchers in MLB history to play 100 games in a season without making a single error.

Early Life and Baseball Career

Charles Johnson was born in Fort Pierce, Florida. He went to Fort Pierce Westwood High School there. After high school, the Montreal Expos drafted him in 1989. But he chose not to sign with them. Instead, he went to the University of Miami and played for the Miami Hurricanes baseball team.

The Florida Marlins then drafted him in 1992. He started his professional career in the minor leagues. He played for the A-level Kane County Cougars in 1993. Then he played for the AA Portland Sea Dogs.

Becoming a Gold Glove Winner

In 1995, Charles Johnson became famous for his great defense. He was only the fourth catcher in MLB history to win a Gold Glove Award in his first season. Other famous catchers like Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk also did this. Even though his hitting numbers weren't always the best, his amazing defense made him a huge help to his team.

In 1996, Johnson caught Al Leiter's no-hitter game. This is when a pitcher doesn't let the other team get any hits. In 1997, he set an MLB record. He played 123 games without making any errors. This earned him his first All-Star spot. He also helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series. In that World Series, he was a great hitter for the Marlins. He had 10 hits and batted .357. He also caught his second no-hitter in 1997, thrown by Kevin Brown.

Moving to Other Teams

In 1998, the Marlins traded Johnson to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played the rest of that season with them. After that, he played for the Baltimore Orioles and the Chicago White Sox. The year 2000 was his best year for hitting. He had a .304 batting average. He also hit 31 home runs and had 91 RBIs (runs batted in).

In 2001, he was traded back to the Florida Marlins. He continued to play well, hitting .285 with 16 home runs by mid-season. This earned him his second All-Star selection. He also caught his third no-hitter, thrown by A. J. Burnett.

After the 2002 season, Johnson was traded to the Colorado Rockies. He played there for two seasons. In 2004, he and two teammates hit three home runs in a row! This is a rare event in baseball. He finished his career with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2005. He played his last game on June 11, 2005, when he was 33 years old.

Career Highlights and Records

During his twelve years in Major League Baseball, Charles Johnson played 1,188 games. He had a .245 batting average. He hit 167 home runs and had 570 runs batted in. His fielding percentage was .993, which is very high for a catcher. It ranks him among the best catchers ever in this area.

Besides his four Gold Glove Awards, Johnson was a leader in many defensive stats. He led National League catchers in fielding percentage twice. He also led in baserunners caught stealing and assists once each. During his career, he was second only to Iván Rodríguez in throwing out baserunners. He caught 39% of runners trying to steal.

He also caught three no-hitters in his career. This ties him for third place on the all-time list. Only Jason Varitek and Carlos Ruiz have caught more. Charles Johnson played more games as a catcher for the Marlins than anyone else, with 582 games.

He is also a member of the Portland Sea Dogs Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Charles Johnson lives in Miami with his wife, Rhonda. They have two sons. Their son Brandon plays National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He used to play college football for the University of Tennessee. Their other son, Beau, plays college football as a tight end for Georgia Southern University. Charles Johnson is also a cousin of former MLB player Fred McGriff.