Chief Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chief Johnson |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 30, 1886 Winnebago, Nebraska |
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| Died: June 11, 1922 (aged 36) Des Moines, Iowa |
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| debut | |||
| April 16, 1913, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 1915, for the Kansas City Packers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 40–43 | ||
| Strikeouts | 304 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.95 | ||
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George Howard "Chief" Johnson (March 20, 1886 – June 11, 1922) was a talented American baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for three seasons, from 1913 to 1915. He played for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League and the Kansas City Packers of the Federal League. He is also known for giving up the very first home run at Wrigley Field to Art Wilson in 1914.
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Who Was Chief Johnson?
George Howard Johnson was born on March 20, 1886. He became known by his nickname, "Chief." He was a right-handed pitcher. This means he threw the baseball with his right arm.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Chief Johnson played in the big leagues for three years. He started with the Cincinnati Reds in 1913. He pitched for them until 1914. Later in 1914, he joined the Kansas City Packers. He played his final season with them in 1915.
During his time in MLB, Chief Johnson had a good record. He won 40 games and lost 43. He also had 304 strikeouts. His Earned run average (ERA) was 2.95. A low ERA means a pitcher doesn't give up many runs.
His Native American Heritage
Chief Johnson had a mixed background. He was part Ho-Chunk, French, and Irish. He proudly identified himself as Ho-Chunk. Because of this, the media often showed him as a Native American athlete.
A famous newspaper feature, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, wrote about him in 1913. They reported his full name as George Washington Murphy Johnson.
A Sad Ending
Chief Johnson passed away in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 11, 1922. He was 36 years old. He had been visiting the town to host a "medicine show." This was a type of traveling entertainment.
