James Johnston

James Martin Johnston

• School University of North Carolina, University of Illinois

• Born December 8, 1895 in Chapel Hill, NC USA
• Died December 28, 1967 in Washington, DC USA

Biographical Information

James Johnston was one of the early owners of the "new" Washington Senators, created through the Expansion of 1961.

A businessman and investment banker based in Washington, DC, he was one of the biggest early donors to his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, setting up a scholarship fund in his name that is still active. He later went to the University of Illinois and was an airplane pilot during World War I.

He became a minority owner of the Senators when they were created late in 1960. On January 5, 1963, he and partner James Lemon bought the Senators from principal owner and team president Pete Quesada. A third partner, George M. Bunker, helped bring the number of shares under their control to 80%, but he was bought out by the other two in 1965. Johnston served as the team's chairman, but soon became ill with cancer and his estate sold his shares to Lemon when he passed away in 1967.