:Ron Johnson (baseball)

{{About|the American baseball player and minor league manager|the American-Australian baseball player|Ronny Johnson|other people with similar names|Ron Johnson (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Ron Johnson

|image=Ron Johnson 2009.jpg

|caption=Johnson managing the Pawtucket Red Sox in 2009

|position=First baseman

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1956|3|23}}

|birth_place=Long Beach, California, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2021|1|26|1956|3|23}}

|death_place=Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 12

|debutyear=1982

|debutteam=Kansas City Royals

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=June 22

|finalyear=1984

|finalteam=Montreal Expos

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.261

|stat2label=Games played

|stat2value=22

|teams=

As player

Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1982}}–{{mlby|1983}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1984}})

As coach

Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|2010}}–{{mlby|2011}})

}}

Ronald David Johnson (March 23, 1956 – January 26, 2021) was an American baseball player, coach and minor league manager. From 2012 through 2018, he managed the Norfolk Tides of the International League, Triple-A farm system affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.{{cite news |url=https://pilotonline.com/sports/baseball/norfolk-tides/article_69f96340-dc82-11e8-839a-9fa133f6025b.html |first=David |last=Hall |title=Orioles, Tide skipper part ways |work=The Virginian-Pilot |date=October 30, 2018}} His 2018 season with Norfolk was his 14th season as a Triple-A manager; Johnson formerly helmed the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League (2005–09), and the Omaha Royals (1998) and Omaha Golden Spikes (1999) of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Johnson was a first baseman for the Kansas City Royals and Montreal Expos during his brief Major League Baseball (MLB) playing career from 1982 to 1984. He threw and batted right-handed, and was listed at {{convert|6|ft|3|in}} tall and {{convert|215|lb|kg}}. Johnson was also a former first base coach of the Boston Red Sox of MLB in 2010 and 2011.

Playing career

Johnson was a native of Long Beach, California. When in high school, he turned down football scholarships to UCLA and Fresno State University, and instead chose to play baseball at Fresno State. Johnson was originally drafted by the California Angels in the 13th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. He was named to the 1978 College Baseball All-America Team by the American Baseball Coaches Association. He graduated from Fresno State before being drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 24th round, with the 595th overall pick, in the 1978 MLB draft. He made his major league debut with the Royals on September 12, 1982.{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1982/B09120KCA1982.htm |title=Kansas City Royals 18, Minnesota Twins 7 |date=September 12, 1982 |website=Retrosheet}} On December 15, 1983, the Royals traded Johnson to the Montreal Expos for Tom Dixon.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/109705983/?terms=%22ron%20johnson%22%20%22tom%20dixon%22&match=1 |title=23 Dec 1983, Page 9 |work=The Courier-Journal |via=Newspapers.com |date=December 23, 1983 |access-date=January 27, 2021}}

File:1985 Nashville Ron Johnson.jpg in 1985]]

Johnson played in 22 major league games over parts of three seasons, batting .261 with 12 hits, including two doubles and two runs batted in. He played 830 games in the minor leagues, most of them at the Triple-A level.

Coaching and managerial career

=Kansas City Royals=

Shortly after his playing days ended in 1985, Johnson became a coach in the Royals' minor league system.{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ron-johnson-former-minor-league-manager-dies|title=Former Minors manager Johnson dies at 64|first=David|last=Adler|date=January 26, 2021|work=MLB.com|publisher=MLB Advanced Media|access-date=January 27, 2021}} He served as a coach within the Kansas City organization for six seasons, before becoming a manager.{{cite news |title=Venerable Tides manager calls them as he sees them |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/norfolk-tides/article_dcb001ed-bd82-510c-a9a9-8f55d1658719.html |first=David |last=Hall |date=July 8, 2014 |access-date=January 27, 2021 |newspaper=The Virginian-Pilot}}

Johnson made his managerial debut with the Baseball City Royals (Class A) of the Florida State League in 1992.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=johnso005ron|title=Ron Johnson Minor League Statistics and History|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=January 27, 2021}} He managed the Memphis Chicks for one season in 1994 leading them to a 75 win season. He won Texas League Manager of the Year honors in 1995,{{cite news|title=Ron Johnson named IL Manager of Year; Dariel Alvarez, Oliver Drake also honored|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-johnson-named-il-manager-of-year-alvarez-drake-also-honored-20150901-story.html|first=Dan|last=Connolly|date=September 1, 2015|access-date=January 27, 2021|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun}} after guiding the Wichita Wranglers (Double-A) to the playoffs.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=2b293f7b|title= 1995 Texas League |work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=January 27, 2021}} Three years later, he reached Triple-A as manager of the Omaha Royals, and in 1999 he led that club to a first-place finish in the Pacific Coast League.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=c7436748|title=1999 Pacific Coast League|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=January 27, 2021}} In total, Johnson posted six winning seasons in his eight years managing in the Royals' organization.

=Boston Red Sox=

Johnson joined the Boston Red Sox organization in 2000 as manager of the Sarasota Red Sox (Class A) of the Florida State League. In 2002, Johnson was promoted to Double-A as manager of the Trenton Thunder of the Eastern League. When the Red Sox switched Double-A affiliations to the Portland Sea Dogs in 2003, he moved with them and was manager of the Sea Dogs for the next two seasons. His 2003 club went 72–70 and missed the Eastern League playoffs by just a game and a half. In 2004, Johnson once again had Portland near .500 for much of the year before finishing at 69–73 and in a tie for 4th-place in the Eastern League Northern Division. From 2005 to 2009, Johnson served as manager for Boston's Triple-A affiliate, the Pawtucket Red Sox.{{Cite news |url=https://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20170720/pawsox-journal-pitching-in-to-help-little-league-in-rhode-island |title=PawSox Journal: Pitching in to help Little League in Rhode Island |first=John |last=Gillooly |newspaper=The Providence Journal |date=July 20, 2017}}

On November 23, 2009, Johnson was appointed as first base coach for the major league Red Sox.{{cite news |last=Abraham |first=Peter |url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2009/11/red_sox_finaliz.html |title=Red Sox finalize coaching staff |work=The Boston Globe |date=November 23, 2009 |access-date=November 23, 2009}} He held the post for two seasons, but on October 5, 2011, Johnson was fired from the Red Sox staff following the departure of manager Terry Francona.{{cite news |last=Abraham |first=Peter |url=http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2011/10/report_red_sox_8.html |title=Report: Red Sox Let 1B coach Ron Johnson go |work=The Boston Globe |date=October 5, 2011 |access-date=October 5, 2011}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

Johnson was next appointed manager of the Norfolk Tides, Triple-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and led them to back-to-back winning seasons in 2012 and 2013. In 2015, he managed the Tides to a division title and was named the International League Manager of the Year.{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/norfolk/news/orioles-announce-tides-coaching-staff-for-2018-265929196 |title=Orioles Announce Tides' Coaching Staff for 2018 |date=February 16, 2018 |publisher=Norfolk Tides |access-date=February 18, 2018 |website=MiLB.com}} The 2018 campaign marked his seventh consecutive year as Norfolk's manager, and he holds the franchise record for games won as a manager (491). During the year, Johnson was named the winner of the Orioles' Cal Ripken Sr. Player Development Award,{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-161713958 |title=Johnson returning for fifth season at Triple-A Norfolk |date=January 12, 2016 |publisher=Norfolk Tides |access-date=January 13, 2016 |website=MiLB.com}} but at the close of the season, he was released by the Baltimore organization as it underwent a significant front-office transition amid the departures of general manager Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter.

Johnson's minor league managerial record was 1,752–1,770 (.497) over 25 seasons.

Personal life

Johnson and his wife, Daphne, had five children.{{cite news |last1=McDonald |first1=Joe |title=Healing is a family affair for Johnsons |url=https://www.espn.com/boston/mlb/columns/story?id=5963358 |access-date=June 27, 2014 |work=ESPN |date=December 29, 2010}}

His son Chris was drafted in the 37th round by the Red Sox in June 2003 but instead opted for college; and was later drafted by the Houston Astros. Primarily a third baseman, Chris Johnson spent a dozen years in professional baseball, including all or parts of eight seasons (2009–16) in the majors with five teams. He had a breakout season in 2013 with the Atlanta Braves, finishing second in the National League batting race at .321. He also led the Braves in doubles (34) and finished second on the club in hits (165). Chris spent part of the 2017 season reunited with his father as a member of the Triple-A Tides in the Baltimore organization.{{Cite news |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/norfolk-tides/article_71c4ab59-eadc-5154-bbcc-f8a97ff1f7ee.html |title=Tides manager Ron Johnson reveling in time he gets to spend with son Chris on the roster |first=David |last=Hall |work=The Virginian-Pilot |date=April 18, 2017}}

Johnson took an emergency leave from his coaching duties with the Red Sox on August 1, 2010, after his youngest daughter was seriously injured when hit by a car while horse riding.{{cite news |url=http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1179101137/Red-Sox-coach-Ron-Johnson-nearly-loses-daughter-in-accident |work=The Patriot Ledger |location=Quincy, Massachusetts |date=August 8, 2010 |first=Brent |last=Frazier |title=Red Sox coach Ron Johnson nearly loses daughter in accident |access-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-date=August 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822114209/http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1179101137/Red-Sox-coach-Ron-Johnson-nearly-loses-daughter-in-accident |url-status=dead }} He missed the rest of the season but was able to return to the Red Sox at the outset of spring training in 2011.{{cite web|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/02/26/red-sox-1b-coach-johnson-daughters-accident-a-living-nightmare/ |title=Red Sox First Base Coach Ron Johnson: Daughter's Accident a 'Living Nightmare' |work=WBZ-TV |date=February 26, 2011 |access-date=January 27, 2021}}

Johnson died as a result of COVID-19 on January 26, 2021, at the age of 64.{{cite news |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/vp-sp-tides-johnson-20210126-4p3memhwdbfbdicttbz4g3e5eu-story.html |work=The Virginian-Pilot |location=Norfolk, Virginia |date=January 26, 2021 |first=David |last=Hall |title=Former Norfolk Tides manager Ron Johnson dies of COVID-19|access-date=January 26, 2021}}

References

External links

{{Baseballstats|br=j/johnsro03|brm=johnso005ron|retro=J/Pjohnr002|mlb=116622}}

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6rYLh28OcU Triple-A Norfolk Tides manager Ron Johnson chats with Jim Hunter] via YouTube

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{{succession box|title=Memphis Chicks manager|before=Tom Poquette|years=1994| after=Jerry Royster}}

{{succession box|title=Wichita Wranglers manager|before=Keith Champion|years=1995–1997| after=John Mizerock}}

{{succession box|title=Omaha Royals/
Golden Spikes manager|before=Mike Jirschele|years=1998–1999| after=John Mizerock}}

{{succession box|title=Trenton Thunder manager|before=[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gardne002wil Billy Gardner Jr.]|years=2002| after=Stump Merrill}}

{{succession box|title=Portland Sea Dogs manager|before=Eric Fox|years=2003–2004| after=Todd Claus}}

{{succession box|title=Pawtucket Red Sox manager|before=Buddy Bailey|years=2005–2009| after=Torey Lovullo}}

{{succession box|title=Boston Red Sox first-base coach|before=Tim Bogar|years=2010–2011|after=Alex Ochoa}}

{{succession box|title=Norfolk Tides manager|before=Gary Allenson|years=2012–2018| after=[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kendal001gar Gary Kendall]}}

Category:1956 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:All-American college baseball players

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:Baseball coaches from California

Category:Baseball players from Long Beach, California

Category:Boston Red Sox coaches

Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players

Category:California State University, Fresno alumni

Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee

Category:Fort Myers Royals players

Category:Fresno State Bulldogs baseball players