Major League Playing Career
Johnson, who spent most of his time in the majors with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, also played in part of two seasons both for the New Yankees and Boston Bees. A four-time .300 hitter, he often finished among the American League leaders in stolen bases.
In his 1929 debut, Johnson became the first rookie in major league history to get 200 hits in a season (201) and also led the AL with 45 doubles and 640 at-bats while hitting .314 with a career-high 128 runs. In 1931, he led the AL with 19 triples and stole 33 bases.
Traded by Detroit to the Red Sox in the 1932 midseason, Johnson enjoyed three productive years with Boston hitting .313 with 95 runs batted in during 1933, following with career-highs .320 and 119 RBI in 1934, and .315 in 1935. After that, he became a part-time outfielder with the Yankees as he appeared in the 1936 World Series. He played his final game with the Boston Bees in the 1938 season.
In a ten-season career, Johnson was a .296 hitter with 58 home runs and 556 RBI in 1155 games.
Johnson died in Tacoma, Washington, at the age of 70.
Read more about this topic: Roy Johnson
Famous quotes containing the words major, league, playing and/or career:
“Never be afraid to meet to the hilt the demand of either work or friendship—two of life’s major assets.”
—Eleanor Robson Belmont (1878–1979)
“We’re the victims of a disease called social prejudice, my child. These dear ladies of the law and order league are scouring out the dregs of the town. C’mon be a glorified wreck like me.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)
“You don’t need to know who’s playing on the White House tennis court to be a good president. A president has many roles.”
—James Baker (b. 1930)
“It is a great many years since at the outset of my career I had to think seriously what life had to offer that was worth having. I came to the conclusion that the chief good for me was freedom to learn, think, and say what I pleased, when I pleased. I have acted on that conviction... and though strongly, and perhaps wisely, warned that I should probably come to grief, I am entirely satisfied with the results of the line of action I have adopted.”
—Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95)