Darrell Johnson
Darrell Dean Johnson
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.
- School University of Nebraska at Kearney
- High School Richmond (CA) High School
- Debut April 20, 1952
- Final Game June 6, 1962
- Born August 25, 1928 in Horace, NE USA
- Died May 3, 2004 in Fairfield, CA USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Catcher Darrell Johnson played parts of six seasons in the majors with seven clubs. In 1960 and 1961, he was a player/coach with the St. Louis Cardinals, and he was also a member of the Baltimore Orioles staff while playing for them in 1962.
After his playing days, he managed the Rochester Red Wings from 1963 to 1965 and was skipper of the Elmira Pioneers in 1966. After serving as a Boston Red Sox coach in 1968 and 1969, he returned to the minors, managing the Louisville Colonels in 1971 and 1972 and the Pawtucket Red Sox in 1973.
Johnson became manager of the Boston Red Sox in 1974 and led the team to the 1975 World Series, which they excruciatingly lost in seven games to the Cincinnati Reds. After being fired the following season, he was hired as the first skipper of the expansion Seattle Mariners in 1977. He managed to have the Mariners finish ahead of the Oakland Athletics their first season, but the team failed to improve after that promising start and he was fired after three and a half seasons. He joined the Texas Rangers coaching staff in 1981. Midway through the 1982 season, he was promoted to the club's manager, replacing Don Zimmer (who had ironically succeeded him as manager of the Red Sox in 1976). Following the season, he joined the New York Mets as a scout, and he was a member of their coaching staff in 1993.
Johnson is a cousin of Elliot Johnson's father.
Johnson died of leukemia at age 75.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- Won a World Series with the New York Yankees in 1958 (he did not play in the World Series)
- ML Manager of the Year Award (1975)
- Division Titles: 1 (1975)
- AL Pennants: 1 (1975)
Preceded by Eddie Kasko |
Boston Red Sox Manager 1974-1976 |
Succeeded by Don Zimmer |
Preceded by N/A |
Seattle Mariners Manager 1977-1980 |
Succeeded by Maury Wills |
Preceded by Don Zimmer |
Texas Rangers Manager 1982 |
Succeeded by Doug Rader |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
Further Reading[edit]
- Bill Nowlin: "Darrell Johnson", in Bill Nowlin and Cecilia Tan, ed.: '75:The Red Sox Team that Saved Baseball, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2015, pp. 205-210. ISBN 978-1-933599-97-7
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