Larry Johnson (baseball) facts for kids

Larry Doby Johnson (born August 17, 1950 – died May 26, 2013) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Larry played for the Cleveland Indians, Montreal Expos, and Chicago White Sox. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Larry batted and threw with his right hand. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 185 pounds. He went to Cleveland State University and Manatee Junior College.

A Special Name

Larry Johnson was named after a very famous baseball player, Larry Doby. Larry Doby was the first African-American player in the American League. He was also a seven-time All-Star and is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Larry Doby was a big star for the Cleveland Indians when Larry Johnson was born.

Starting His Baseball Journey

The Cleveland Indians chose Larry Johnson in the ninth round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft. He played baseball for 14 years in the minor leagues. During his time there, he hit exactly 100 home runs!

Even though he played for a long time, Larry only played in 12 Major League games. His longest time in the big leagues was six games with the Montreal Expos in 1976. In his MLB games, he got five hits, including two doubles. He also got two walks.

Teammates with His Namesake

It's pretty cool that Larry Johnson and Larry Doby (the player he was named after) actually played on the same teams! Doby was a coach for three different MLB teams in the 1970s. These teams were the 1974 Indians, the 1976 Expos, and the 1978 White Sox. So, Johnson and Doby were teammates on all three of those clubs.

Larry Johnson's last game in the Major Leagues was on May 25, 1978. Just five weeks later, Larry Doby became the manager of the White Sox.

Later Life

Larry Johnson passed away suddenly on May 26, 2013. His son, Josh, also played professional baseball. Josh later became a coach for the San Diego Padres in 2018.