Darrell Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Darrell Johnson
Johnson with the Boston Red Sox in 1974
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1928-08-25)August 25, 1928 Horace, Nebraska, U.S.
Died: May 3, 2004(2004-05-03) (aged 75) Fairfield, California, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 20, 1952, for the St. Louis Browns
Last appearance
June 6, 1962, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Batting average	.234
Home runs	2
Runs batted in	28
Managerial record	472–590
Winning %	.444
Teams
As player St. Louis Browns (1952) Chicago White Sox (1952) New York Yankees (1957–1958) St. Louis Cardinals (1960) Philadelphia Phillies (1961) Cincinnati Reds (1961–1962) Baltimore Orioles (1962) As manager Boston Red Sox (1974–1976) Seattle Mariners (1977–1980) Texas Rangers (1982) As coach St. Louis Cardinals (1960–1961) Baltimore Orioles (1962) Boston Red Sox (1968–1969) Texas Rangers (1981–1982) New York Mets (1993)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (1958)

Darrell Dean Johnson (August 25, 1928 – May 3, 2004) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher, coach, and manager. He was born in Horace, Nebraska. Johnson is most famous for leading the Boston Red Sox to the American League championship in 1975. For his great work that year, he was named "Manager of the Year" by important sports news groups.

Darrell Johnson: Baseball Player and Manager

Early Life and Playing Days

Darrell Johnson started his baseball journey after high school. He signed with the St. Louis Browns in 1949 and made his MLB debut in 1952. He played as a catcher for six years in the Major Leagues.

Johnson played for several teams, including the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals. He was a right-handed player, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 180 pounds. In his career, he played 134 MLB games and had a batting average of .234. He hit two home runs during his time as a player.

His playing career was paused when he became a coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960. He later returned to playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds. In 1961, he helped the Reds win the National League championship. He even played in the 1961 World Series against the Yankees, getting two hits off a famous pitcher named Whitey Ford. After a short time with the Baltimore Orioles, he retired as a player in 1962.

Becoming a Manager

After his playing days, Johnson became a minor league manager. He led teams like the Rochester Red Wings and Elmira Pioneers to championships. This showed he had a talent for leading teams.

In 1967, he became the pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox. He later managed their minor league team, the Louisville Colonels. In 1973, he led the Pawtucket Red Sox to another championship. This success earned him a big promotion to manage the main Boston Red Sox team.

Leading the Red Sox to the World Series

Johnson became the manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1974. His most successful year was 1975. He led the Red Sox to win 95 games and finish first in their division.

The Red Sox then beat the strong Oakland Athletics in the playoffs. This win sent them to the 1975 World Series. They played against the Cincinnati Reds, known as the "Big Red Machine." It was a very exciting series that went to seven games, but the Red Sox lost.

Johnson (left) with President Gerald Ford and Sparky Anderson in 1975

Many players respected Johnson. Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk said Johnson was a huge influence on his life. However, some players felt he could have communicated better with them.

In 1976, the Red Sox started the season poorly. Johnson was chosen to manage the American League All-Star team that year. But soon after, he was fired as manager in July 1976. The team was not playing well at the time.

Managing Other Teams

After leaving the Red Sox, Johnson became the first manager of the new expansion Seattle Mariners in 1976. He managed the Mariners for about three and a half seasons. He helped them get ready for their first games and scouted new players.

Later, he worked as a coach for the Texas Rangers. In 1982, he became their interim manager for the last two months of the season. He finished his career as an MLB manager with a record of 472 wins and 590 losses.

After managing, Johnson worked for the New York Mets. He helped coordinate their minor league players and was a scout for many years. He also served as a coach for the Mets in 1993.

Darrell Johnson passed away in 2004 at the age of 75 from leukemia.

Managerial Record

See also

• List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches