Jim Johnson

Jim Johnson may have second thoughts if he grew up in today’s era of millionaire ball players. However, the southpaw who pitched for one season with the 1970 San Francisco Giants, valued family and a desire to become an educator as more important values than remaining in the big leagues.

Just as he did by reaching the top rung of the ladder in baseball, Johnson did the same in the field of education. Before succumbing to cancer at the much too young age of 42 in December of 1987, Johnson reached the top of his profession as Superintendent of Schools at North Muskegon, Michigan High School.

Born on November 3, 1945 Jim Johnson was the son of Ed and Dorothy Johnson, the second of two children raised by his parents. Father Ed Johnson was born December 16, 1903 and graduated from Otisville, Michigan High, and later attended Western Michigan. Ed was a standout catcher for the Broncos, leading the team in hitting in 1930, a feat accomplished twice by his son Jim in the 1960s. While attending Western, Ed married Dorothy Watson on November 19, 1929 and both became school educators, Dorothy as a teacher while Ed served as a teacher, coach, and administrator.1 

Jim was a 7-year-old in elementary school in Muskegon, Michigan in 1953, when an armistice was reached in the Korean War in August. This was more than welcome news for the Johnsons: Jim’s brother Bill, who was a prisoner of war, was freed by North Korea and reunited with his family.

Jim Johnson was big winner, all throughout his amateur years. He played on three division winners in Little League, won titles in all three of his years in Pony League, and during the summer he led his Connie Mack teams to wins in every regular season contest.2

Pitching for the Kiwanis team in the Pony League as a 13-year-old, Johnson struck out 20 of the 21 batters he faced in a 2-0 victory.3 Unfortunately, tragedy struck late in the season when his father, the team manager, passed away suddenly from a massive heart attack. Just days following his father’s death, a grieving Jim Johnson struck out 15 batters in the championship game. Despite the three-hitter pitched by Johnson, an unearned run in the last inning led to a 1-0 loss.4

As a senior at Muskegon High in 1963, Jim was selected the MVP in leading the team to a 21-1 record. Johnson wasn’t the only player on this team to make to the major leagues. Jim Johnson and Ray Newman were part of a rare fraternity of high school pitchers that graduated from the same high school class and also pitched in the major leagues. (Newman pitched for the Cubs in 1971 and the Brewers in 1972-73.) Early in the season, they each pitched three innings for a combined no-hitter in the season opening 16-0 thrashing of Muskegon Christian.5

After graduating, Johnson joined an independent team, the Muskegon Pepsis of the highly competitive United Baseball League. The step up in talent posed no problem. Playing for the Pepsis, Johnson had a 4-1 pitching record and batted a lofty .421.

It was now on to Western Michigan University for the talented left-handed thrower and batter where he received a scholarship – not for baseball, but for his academic achievements at Muskegon High.

After biding his time playing for the freshman team, (freshmen were not eligible for varsity competition at the Division 1 level until 1970) Johnson had an immediate impact when he joined the varsity squad.  In addition to patrolling center field for the Broncos, Johnson began his record-setting career by compiling a perfect 6-0 record and a team-low ERA of 1.98 in 1965, while also handing Ohio University its only defeat on the season. (Ohio University finished with an all-time best mark of 26-1.) Johnson not only went the distance in the 2-1 win, he also scored the winning run by being on the front end of a double steal.

“Western Michigan’s baseball record of 16-6 and 9-1 in the league play was somewhat unexpected this year. And most of the credit belongs to a sophomore southpaw, Jim Johnson of Muskegon,” wrote Jerry Hagan of the Kalamazoo Gazette. Johnson ended his first year as a Bronco by beating Michigan State on a two hitter. Jim was one of four Broncos selected to the Mid-American Conference first team.6Among his six victories was a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a conference matchup with Marshall University. Only a “seeing-eye” single in the second inning deprived Johnson of a perfect game. Johnson was none too shabby as a hitter, batting a healthy .325.7

Johnson may have been even more dominant that summer while pitching for the Pepsis. In a game called after five innings due to a “mercy” rule, Johnson faced 15 batters and fanned 14. The only batter who put the ball in play was out attempting to bunt.8

Johnson shined at the NBC (National Baseball Congress) regional playoffs. He began the tournament by pitching a 6-0 shutout and then later in the playoffs he won both games of a doubleheader with some stellar relief work. He was not only selected to the all-tournament team, but was named tournament MVP. Joining Johnson on this all-star team was a former Detroit Tiger slugger from nearby Paw Paw, Charlie Maxwell, who amassed three homers.9

There was no letup from Jim in 1966, his second season with Western Michigan. Sportswriter Hagan tabbed Johnson as its best pitcher, best outfielder, and best hitter. Johnson was also the team’s leading base stealer.10 The team was 21-5 in 1966 but deprived of a trip to Omaha as they lost to Ohio State in the district’s NCAA playoffs. Ohio State won the championship.11

Adding salt to the wounds, during the regular season WMU defeated OSU three times. The Broncos played the Buckeyes early in the season in Columbus and swept the three-game series. The highlight of the sweep was Johnson hurling a one-hitter against the Buckeyes to hand his veteran coach Charlie Maher his 400th victory as the Broncos head coach.

Jim preferred to play the outfield, but would “help out” if asked to pitch. As a junior, he hit .415 with a .500 average during conference play. How often does a pitcher lead his team in stolen bases? Jim did it twice – in 1966 and 1967.12

Although he was coveted by many teams following his junior season, Jim had made it clear that he was intent on finishing his schooling at Western and would not enter the draft.  “The offer would have to be awful tempting before I’d ever leave school,” said Jim in an interview with Mart Tardani of the Muskegon Chronicle.13 The Detroit Tigers did take a flyer on Jim and made him their last player to be drafted (36th round) in the June 1966 draft and Houston selected him in the 3rd round of the January secondary draft in 1967 but Jim declined both offers.

Johnson played his summer ball in 1966 in Rapid City, South Dakota in the Basin League. The team had five players who made it to the majors.14 After hitting over .400 at WMU, Johnson was recruited to play center field for Rapid City. Scouts told him to concentrate on playing the field, but when asked to work one inning in relief, he complied by striking out the side.15

Just as Charley Maher quickly discovered his pitching talent at WMU, Rapid City manager Floyd Temple did as well following his impressive one-inning pitching debut.  In his first start on July 9, Jim pitched a two-hit 8-0 shutout over Mobridge.16

Midway through his senior season at WMU, Johnson posted six straight victories, five of them shutouts. In 53 1/3 innings of work, Johnson allowed but one earned run.

There were two unanimous choices on the 1967 All Mid-American Conference team, Johnson and Kent State’s sophomore hitting sensation Thurman Munson. Jim ended the season with a perfect 7-0 record while hitting .339 and leading the team in RBIs with 16.17

The case could be made for Jim Johnson as the best overall player in WMU’s storied history. He was inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

After inking a contract that included a sizable bonus with the San Francisco Giants, Johnson wasted little time in making his presence known in the pro ranks. He made his professional appearance in relief for the 1967 Salt Lake City Giants against the Tommy Lasorda-managed Ogden Dodgers. He retired all 11 Ogden batters he faced in order while striking out seven.18

Pitching stats posted in The Sporting News showed Johnson leading all pitchers in the Pioneer League with a 3-2 mark with a remarkably low ERA of 0.75. He was promoted to Fresno for the final month of the season, where he was 2-0.19

On the same day that the 1967-68 school year drew to a close on Friday, June 7, Johnson married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Ruth Wagner. No exotic honeymoon travels were on the newlyweds’ docket as they departed for Jim to join the Decatur (Illinois) Commodores shortly after the wedding.20

Johnson was first thrust into action on July 19 at Clinton and quickly displayed his fitness by pitching a complete-game victory. He allowed a pair of first-inning runs before hurling six shutout innings to notch his first win in Midwest League action.

In his final start to wrap up the season for the league-leading Decatur Commodores, Jim hiked his final regular season record to 6-4. After a shaky start in the first inning, he found his pitching groove and at one span retired 14 men in a row, striking out nine. He also helped his team at the plate as he had a pair of hits and three RBIs in a 7-3 win over runner-up Quad City.21

In a best-of- three game series to decide the playoff championship, Johnson won a 7-1 decision over Quad City to tie the series at 1-1. He allowed six hits and struck out eight while also going 1-3 at the plate. Quad City won the deciding game 3-1 to capture the title.22

Including the playoffs, Johnson finished with an impressive ERA of 2.06 with 97 strikeouts before heading back home to Muskegon, Michigan to return to his job as a schoolteacher at Muskegon High. 

Johnson reported for his first spring training with the Giants organization in 1969 and was promoted to Amarillo of the Texas League. He started with a perfect 4-0 record including a complete-game 6-1 win over Arkansas in which he fanned 10 and walked just one batter.23

With a 7-2 record and a low ERA that ranked in the top five in the Texas League, Johnson was called up to AAA Phoenix in mid-June 1969. His first start was a no-decision. His first victory in Pacific Coast League action came on August 6 when he pitched his Giants to a complete-game 5-2 victory in a road win against Vancouver and went 3-for-4. (In his two years in Phoenix, Johnson posted an impressive .341 batting average.)

Johnson pitched much better than his 1-3 record during his first stint in Phoenix. He posted a 3.56 ERA before the Giants brass approved his early departure from the club so he could pursue a master’s degree at Michigan State University.24

The following March, Johnson joined the San Francisco Giants at their training site in Scottsdale, Arizona. He quickly made a positive impression with Giants manager Clyde King.25

During his stint in spring training, which included a controversial nine-game series of games in chilly Japan, Johnson allowed but four hits and two runs in nine innings. At 24 years of age, with a degree in mathematics and one semester shy of earning his master’s degree, Jim Johnson made the Giants roster.

After two early-season road appearances, Johnson earned his first major-league victory in Cincinnati on April 18, 1970. It was an improbable victory to be sure.

Playing in front of a crowd that included his in-laws from Muskegon, Johnson replaced starter Frank Reberger in the fourth inning. When he arrived on the mound to take the ball from Clyde King, he was not looking at a pretty scene. Three runners had already crossed the plate, Cincinnati led 4-3 and the bases were full of Reds.

To make matters even worse, he had inherited 2-0 count on the first batter he faced, Bobby Tolan. He proceeded to walk Tolan, the walk was credited to Reberger. and Bernie Carbo scored. Johnson uncorked a wild pitch that scored Pete Rose. Before the dust had settled and he had retired Lee May for the final out of the inning, the Reds had seven runs cross the plate, giving Cincinnati a commanding 8-3 lead. None of the runs were charged to Johnson; they were all charged to Reberger.

Johnson had an efficient fifth inning, retiring the side with only one walk allowed. When the Giants came to bat, Cincinnati pitcher Ray Washburn couldn’t find the plate and walked the first four batters he faced. Tony Cloninger replaced Washburn and had seemingly got the Reds out of trouble with a made-to-order 1-2-3 double play on a comebacker.

Bob Heise kept the two-out rally going, though, with a two-run single that narrowed the gap to 8-6. Johnson’s day was done when Steve Whitaker, batting for him, drew a walk. So did Bobby Bonds. Ron Hunt stepped in with the bases loaded. Hunt made Johnson a winner with a grand slam which gave the Giants a 10-8 lead they did not relinquish as Mike McCormick pitched the final four innings and allowed only one run.

Even though Jim Johnson was the winning pitcher – with no earned runs allowed – it was the last game he pitched in the major leagues. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to Phoenix to pitch for his “old friend” Charlie Fox.

Perhaps still seething over Johnson’s early departure to pursue a graduate degree in 1969, Fox seldom called upon Johnson before May 28 when the manager was elevated to replace Clyde King as San Francisco manager.

After pitching but 15 innings following his departure from the majors, Johnson got his first starting assignment in over a year on June 23. He responded by pitching a complete game victory over Tacoma, allowing but five hits, no walks, while striking out 10, which may have prompted local fans to inquire as to why was he languishing on the bench.

New Phoenix manager Hank Sauer said, “He was something else out there. All he needed was a shot and he certainly earned a spot in the starting rotation.”26

Johnson went the distance for the second time in three starts in a 4-3 win over Tucson on July 3, spacing out seven hits, all singles, walking just two, and striking out six. All runs charged to him were unearned. 

He had more on his mind than trying to tame Tacoma in his next outing. “I was nervous in the first inning,” said Johnson, who issued three walks, permitted one hit and allowed a run in the first frame. “My wife is due to have our first baby any time now, and I couldn’t keep my mind on the game for the first few minutes. Once I settled down, I was OK.” He was more than OK, however, as he pitched hitless ball for the next six innings before giving way to the bullpen.  It was his fourth victory in five decisions, and third without a loss, since he was inserted into the starting rotation.27

Johnson was scheduled to pitch one game of a doubleheader at Tucson on July 28 but was removed from the start due to what was described as a “stiff arm.”28

A very nervous Johnson was more than 100 miles from Phoenix when his son, Jimmy, was born on July 30. Clubs in this era allowed no time off for expectant fathers. After the Phoenix club returned home on August 1, Johnson, stiff arm and all, was thrust into action in a 1-0 game with Hawaii and he responded with a shutout inning.

He picked up the win in what proved to be the penultimate outing in his professional career, just nine days after becoming a father. He worked 6 2/3 innings in Honolulu, a 2-1 win over the PCL leaders. When asked by Arizona Republic sportswriter Bob Eger about his sore arm of late, Johnson replied: “It still hurts. I noticed the pain more on breaking balls then on the fast balls, but it’s not bad enough to keep me from pitching. I have all winter to rest it.”29 He clearly didn’t have retirement in mind.

On August 14, pitching with a lame arm for a depleted Phoenix pitching staff, he gave up four runs on six hits but struck out eight in a 4-2 loss in Hawaii. Although unbeknownst at the time, it was his last appearance in organized ball.

After earning his graduate degree during the offseason, Johnson had a major decision to make.  Should he continue his career while still in the prime of his career, or pursue another long-term goal of a career in education?

Instead of heading for the bright lights of San Francisco, Jim Johnson had made the decision to retire from the game of baseball.  The Johnson family left for a remote town in Central Michigan where Jim served as a schoolteacher and principal while his wife Mary taught sixth grade in Evart, Michigan.

Over the ensuing years Johnson took on similar administrative positions at Kent City High and South Haven High, both in Michigan. In 1983, at the age of 38, Jim reached the pinnacle of his educational career by returning to his hometown of Muskegon to become Superintendent of North Muskegon High School.

Although he had retired from the game, Johnson never lost his love for the game of baseball. His extensive duties in education limited his active baseball participation, but he often took his family, which now included a second son Joel, the short two-hour drive to take in games at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Johnson often returned to Western Michigan to play in the university’s annual old-timers/varsity exhibition game in late fall. His son Jimmy recalled one time: “It was interesting – because he was the most popular of all the guys there…Everyone wanted to talk to him – old timers and the current players and coaches. I found that odd. I remember Mike Squires being at one of the games and at the time he was a starter with the White Sox, and I wondered why they didn’t want to talk to (Squires) more. I actually asked Mr. Squires this question and he said: ‘Because your dad was the best to play here.”

Son Jim remembered his father as rarely talking about his baseball accomplishments. “When I was a little older and just entering high school, my dad was asked by Walt Gawkowski if he would play for his City League team one game as his team was short of players. My dad was probably 36 or 37… right before he got sick …. and to my knowledge had not lifted a bat competitively in years and definitely had not pitched.

“I remember for the first time in my life I really understood that my dad could ‘really play.’ He pitched/threw strikes/threw hard/dominated in the couple innings he pitched. He went 3-for-3 at the plate and they were just BB’s up the middle. He stole bases and looked fast.”

“After the game we went home, had dinner, did the dishes, homework, never discussed the game. That was how he was… he just wanted to be Jim Johnson, the father/husband/superintendent. But I got clues every now and then that he was that ‘plus,’ a pretty good ball player. I always respected that humility,” reflected a proud son.30

Jim Johnson passed away from pancreatic cancer on December 6, 1987 at 42. Shortly thereafter the baseball field at North Muskegon High was renamed: James B. Johnson Baseball Field. He was inducted into the Greater Muskegon Hall of Fame in 1992; his acceptance speech was eloquently given by his son Jimmy. He was inducted into the WMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

Author’s note

Your author would be remiss if I didn’t point out that I married Jim Johnson’s widow Mary in October of 1991. I am honored to make known that Jim retired from baseball well before his prime with a 1-0 record, but batted 1.000 as a great teammate, father, husband, and educator, and one well remembered and respected by this author.

Sources

Much of the info used in this biography were actual newspaper clippings from three scrapbooks that were kept by his late mother Dorothy during Jim Johnson’s baseball career, from Little League to major-league baseball. The actual dates for these clippings were not noted by his mother.  Stats for Jim Johnson were accessed through the Minor League Players Encyclopedia at Baseball Reference.com, The Sporting News, Retrosheet.org, and the Western Michigan Baseball Media Guide. The following newspapers were used during research for this biography to include the Muskegon Chronicle, Kalamazoo Gazette, Grand Rapids Press, Western Herald, Rapid City Journal, Rapid City Yearbook of 1966, Deseret News, Amarillo Globe, Arizona Gazette, San Francisco Examiner, and Arizona Republic. Personal information related to this bio were obtained through numerous interviews with Jim’s wife Mary, and sons Jim and Joel Johnson.

Photo credit: Jim Johnson, 1970 Giants, courtesy of Jim C. Johnson.

Notes

1 Verified by John Winchell, Curator University Archives, Western Michigan University, and in interviews with player’s widow Mary in 2021.

2 Mart Tardani, “‘Can’t Miss’ Tag Pinned on Jimmy Johnson,” Muskegon Chronicle, August 24, 1963.

3 “Johnson Gives One Hit in Win,” Muskegon Chronicle, July 1960, Johnson Scrapbook.

4 “Wins 1-0 over Kiwanis Nine,” Muskegon Chronicle, August 13, 1960.

5 “Two Muskegon Hurlers Combine for No-Hitter,” Muskegon Chronicle, April 12, 1963.

6 Jerry Hagan, Sportitorial, “Muskegon Southpaw Helped Keep Western in Baseball Limelight,” Kalamazoo Gazette: June 1965.

7 “Johnson Yields One Hit, Broncos Romp,” Kalamazoo Gazette, April 1965, Johnson Scrapbook.

8 “Johnson Fans 14 in 8-0 Win,” Muskegon Chronicle, July 1965 Johnson Scrapbook.

9  Mart Tardani, “Top Award goes to Jim Johnson,” Muskegon Chronicle, August 17, 1965. Also see Clark Stoppels, “Co-Champs Top All-NBC Club.” Grand Rapids Press: August 16, 1965

10  Jerry Hagan, Sportitorial, “Jim Johnson: Top Pitcher, Hitter, Outfielder for WMU.” Kalamazoo Gazette, June 3, 1966.

11 WMU had defeated OSU three times during the regular season, sweeping a three-game series in Columbus. The highlight of the sweep was Johnson hurling a one-hitter against the Buckeyes to hand his veteran coach Charlie Maher his 400th victory as the Broncos’ head coach. Bob Wagner, “Broncs Win Pair from OSU – Johnson’s One-Hitter Ends Sweep,” Kalamazoo Gazette, April 3, 1966.  Johnson hit .463 that year.

12 Despite his numbers as a pitcher and hitter, Johnson, who led the entire MAC in hitting, was relegated to the 2nd team All-MAC team, depriving him of first team All- MAC in all three seasons as a collegian. See Western Michigan University Baseball Media Guide.

13 Tardani, “Top Award goes to Jim Johnson.”

14 Retrosheet.org. The five players were Lou Camilli, Danny Thompson, Gary Neibauer, Gary Moore, and Jim Johnson. His 14 stolen bases set a Rapid City franchise record for thefts. See Jerry Hagen, Sportitorial, “Bronco Pitching Ace Now Top Outfielder in Basin League,” Kalamazoo Gazette, July 11, 1966.

15 Jerry Hagan, Sportitorial, “Bronco Pitching Ace Now Top Outfielder in Basin League,” Kalamazoo Gazette, July 11, 1966.

16 Roger Towland, “Chiefs Bump Lakers 8-0,” Rapid City Journal, July 9, 1966: 8.

17 “Johnson Named to All-League Baseball Team,” Muskegon Chronicle, May 25, 1967.

18  Norm Sheya, “Giants Find Bats; Gloves Still Missing,” Deseret News (Salt Lake City), June 24, 1967: A5.

19 When he left Salt Lake City, he was not only leading his team in wins and ERA, but his .389 batting average also led the team in hitting.

20 Interview with Jim’s wife Mary.

21 “Johnson Beats Angels 7-3, Commodores Win, Lead by 5,” Decatur Herald, August 27, 1968. 13.

22  Joe Cook, “Commodores Even Playoff Series With 7-1 Victory Over Angels,” Decatur Herald, September 5, 1968: 15.

23 Len Giles, “Johnson Goes Route In A-Giant Victory,” Amarillo Newspaper, May 1, 1969, 15.

24 The front office approval was likely not greeted with as much enthusiasm from manager Charlie Fox.

25 Jim McGee, “Reberger’s Baffling Pitches,” San Francisco Examiner March 8, 1970: 2C.

26 “Johnson’s Gem Halts Tacomans,” Phoenix Gazette, June 24, 1970.

27 Bob Eger, “Johnson gets Phoenix Win,” Arizona Republic, July 4, 1970: 57.

28 Bob Eger, “Giants, Tucson divide 2 games,” Arizona Republic, July 29, 1970: 71.

29 Bob Eger, “Giants notch 2-1 triumph over Hawaii,” Arizona Republic, August 11, 1970: 33.

30 Interviews with Johnson immediate family.