—Davey Johnson’s exuberance was legendary — he “jumped for joy in the dugout when the ball went through Bill Buckner’s legs” in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
Johnson was everywhere in Major League Baseball from the mid-1980s through the 2000s.
The former Mets, Reds, Orioles, Dodgers and Nationals died Friday in Florida at the age of 82.
Johnson took a businesslike approach to the game but was also known for his wit, humor and, at times, sarcasm.
His greatest claim to fame was guiding a group of uber-talented but rambunctious — and in some cases downright wild — New York Mets players to a seven-game victory over the Boston Red Sox in 1986. It remains one of the most exciting World Series in history.
Of course, many fans didn’t see the ’86 Series live. I didn’t — at four years old, my parents weren’t putting me in front of the TV to watch baseball. I only learned of the aftermath years later, when I was 11 or 12, reading Gary Carter’s book Dream Season cover to cover.
Johnson wasn’t the star of those Mets — there were too many characters on that roster — but he was the steady hand who guided them.
Later, he managed the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals.
He came up in an era when managers were expected to be blunt and tough. That was the way to get grown men to perform as big leaguers and manage grown men.
Major League Baseball today has a different vibe. Players are called up younger, and veterans don’t often get the chance to stick around. Johnson was very much of the era that George Will described in Men at Work.
Ironically, Johnson held a degree in mathematics and was an early practitioner of sabermetrics. His teams won — he still owns the highest winning percentage in Mets history as a manager and guided the Cincinnati Reds to a Central Division title in 1995.
As a second baseman, Johnson was a four-time All-Star (1968–70, 1973), a three-time Gold Glove winner (1969–71), and won three World Series titles — two as a player with the Orioles (1966, 1970).
In 1997, he led the Orioles to a wire-to-wire AL East title and was named AL Manager of the Year.
In 2012, he took the Nationals to their first-ever playoff appearance and earned NL Manager of the Year honors.
Johnson could manage. And he could win.
Davey Johnson Managerial Record
| Rk | Year | Age | Team | Lg | W | L | W-L% | G | Finish | Wpost | Lpost | W-L%post | Ejections | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1984 | 41 | New York Mets | NL | 90 | 72 | .556 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | |
| 2 | 1985 | 42 | New York Mets | NL | 98 | 64 | .605 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | |
| 3 | 1986 | 43 | New York Mets | NL | 108 | 54 | .667 | 162 | 1 | 8 | 5 | .615 | 0 | World Series Champs |
| 4 | 1987 | 44 | New York Mets | NL | 92 | 70 | .568 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | |
| 5 | 1988 | 45 | New York Mets | NL | 100 | 60 | .625 | 160 | 1 | 3 | 4 | .429 | 0 | |
| 6 | 1989 | 46 | New York Mets | NL | 87 | 75 | .537 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | |
| 7 | 1990 | 47 | New York Mets | NL | 20 | 22 | .476 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | |
| 8 | 1993 | 50 | Cincinnati Reds | NL | 53 | 65 | .449 | 118 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | |
| 9 | 1994 | 51 | Cincinnati Reds | NL | 66 | 48 | .579 | 115 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | |
| 10 | 1995 | 52 | Cincinnati Reds | NL | 85 | 59 | .590 | 144 | 1 | 3 | 4 | .429 | 2 | |
| 11 | 1996 | 53 | Baltimore Orioles | AL | 88 | 74 | .543 | 163 | 2 | 4 | 5 | .444 | 3 | |
| 12 | 1997 | 54 | Baltimore Orioles | AL | 98 | 64 | .605 | 162 | 1 | 5 | 5 | .500 | 3 | AL Manager of the Year |
| 13 | 1999 | 56 | Los Angeles Dodgers | NL | 77 | 85 | .475 | 162 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | |
| 14 | 2000 | 57 | Los Angeles Dodgers | NL | 86 | 76 | .531 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | |
| 15 | 2011 | 68 | Washington Nationals | NL | 40 | 43 | .482 | 83 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | |
| 16 | 2012 | 69 | Washington Nationals | NL | 98 | 64 | .605 | 162 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .400 | 1 | NL Manager of the Year |
| 17 | 2013 | 70 | Washington Nationals | NL | 86 | 76 | .531 | 162 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 |
Source: Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball world remembers Davey Johnson
Former players, colleagues, and friends paid tribute to Johnson:
Jay Horwitz, longtime Mets PR director and team historian, said Johnson was “more than just his wins and losses.”
“He was brash, had swagger, and was the perfect guy to lead our team in the 1980s.” (New York Post)
Howie Rose, Mets broadcaster, reflected on his close working relationship with Johnson.
“I learned more about the inner workings of baseball from Davey Johnson than from anyone else during my career. I will always cherish our daily sessions together during the Mets Extra days and am so sad to hear of his passing. RIP, old friend.” (New York Post)
Jim Palmer, Hall of Fame pitcher and Orioles teammate, mourned the loss of a lifelong friend.
“Sad to learn of the passing of my longtime teammate and friend, Davey Johnson … We came to the O’s the same year, 1965… raised our families together, won two World Series together, learned the Oriole way together.” (New York Post)
Erik Sherman, Johnson’s biographer, called him “a giant of the game.”
“The baseball world has lost a giant of the game… A privilege to be his biographer and close friend.” (New York Post)
Mike Rizzo, Nationals general manager, praised Johnson’s forward-thinking approach.
“He was one of the great baseball minds of all time… a forward thinker with an old-school soul.” (Washington Post)
Mark Lerner, Nationals principal owner, added:
“A world-class manager whose legacy will endure with fans and our franchise.” (Washington Post)
Ryan Zimmerman, longtime Nationals star, credited Johnson with shaping his career.
“I learned so much from him about how to carry myself on and off the field. No chance my career would have been the same without his guidance.” (Washington Post)
Darryl Strawberry, a cornerstone of Johnson’s Mets teams, remembered his leadership.
“I’m deeply saddened by the loss of Davey Johnson, a remarkable leader who transformed the Mets franchise into a winning organization… His ability to empower players to express themselves while maintaining a strong commitment to excellence was truly inspiring.” (CBS Sports, Associated Press)
Baseball world remembers Davey Johnson
Former players, colleagues, and friends paid tribute to Davey Johnson, the World Series–winning manager who died Friday at age 82.
Jay Horwitz, Mets PR director
“He was brash, had swagger, and was the perfect guy to lead our team in the 1980s.”
Howie Rose, Mets broadcaster
“I learned more about the inner workings of baseball from Davey Johnson than from anyone else during my career. I will always cherish our daily sessions together during the Mets Extra days and am so sad to hear of his passing. RIP, old friend.”
Jim Palmer, Hall of Fame pitcher
“Sad to learn of the passing of my longtime teammate and friend, Davey Johnson … We came to the O’s the same year, 1965… raised our families together, won two World Series together, learned the Oriole way together.”
Erik Sherman, biographer
“The baseball world has lost a giant of the game… A privilege to be his biographer and close friend.”
