Roy Johnson (1980s outfielder) facts for kids

Roy Edward Johnson (born June 27, 1959 – died January 26, 2009) was an American baseball player. He played as an outfielder in 36 games in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos. He played for the Expos in 1982, 1984, and 1985.

Roy was born in Parkin, Arkansas. He was tall, standing 6 feet 4 inches, and weighed 205 pounds. He was a left-handed hitter and threw with his left hand. The Expos picked him in the fifth round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft after he played at Tennessee State University.

Roy's Baseball Journey

Roy Johnson was a very good hitter in the minor leagues. However, it was harder for him to hit as well when he played in the major leagues.

Playing in the Major Leagues

In his time in MLB, Roy had a batting average of .171. This means he got 12 hits out of 70 tries. He also hit four doubles (two-base hits), one home run (which scored two runs!), and had four RBIs (runs batted in). His home run was hit off a pitcher named Rich Bordi from the Chicago Cubs on September 12, 1984.

Success in the Minor Leagues

Roy played in the minor leagues for eight seasons. During this time, he was a strong hitter.

• He had a batting average of .291.
• He hit 85 home runs.
• He had 428 RBIs in 773 games.
• His OPS (a stat that shows how good a hitter is) was .829.

In 1982, playing for the Wichita Aeros in Triple-A (which is just one step below the major leagues), he had an amazing year.

• He hit .361.
• He had 90 RBIs.
• His slugging percentage was .561.

He also played for the Wichita Aeros in 1983. Later, he moved to the Oakland Athletics team. He played for their Triple-A team, the Tacoma Tigers, for three seasons (1986–1988). In 1986, he hit .343.

After playing in the U.S., Roy also played for the Piratas de Campeche in the Mexican League. After he stopped playing, he even became their hitting coach!

Later Life and Legacy

Sadly, Roy passed away at age 49 from a heart attack in his home in Campeche, Mexico. He was buried at Jardines del Angel Cemetery in Campeche. To honor him, the Piratas team retired his jersey number, 39, so no one else would wear it.

Interesting Facts About Roy

• Roy Johnson was known as "the Arkansas Train." He is considered one of the strongest hitters from another country to play in Mexican baseball.
• He even holds a record in the Mexican League for hitting four home runs in one game!
• He also holds the record for the most home runs for the Campeche team, with 114 home runs.
• In 1982, when Roy was with the Expos, famous outfielders like Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, and Warren Cromartie were the main players. Roy, along with Terry Francona, helped out as backup outfielders.