DATE: Aug 1984 ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Type 1 Original - Printed from the original negative within about 2 years of when it was shot TEAM: New York Mets SUBJECTS: Davey Johnson, Frank Cashen APPROXIMATE SIZE: 8"x10" NUMBER OF PHOTOS: 1 COMMENTS / CONDITION: This is one of a large accumulation of vintage sports photographs, slides and negatives that we will be listing over the coming months. Wear on these, if any, is mostly confined to minor corner and edge wear, but see scans for further details including condition. We do not deal in stock images or modern reprints, and all scans shown are of the actual vintage photograph, slide or negative being sold. If you have any questions about a particular piece, please ask before the auction ends. BIO: David Allen Johnson was born in 1943 in Orlando, FL and went to college at Texas A&M University. He played major league baseball from 1965 to 1978 as 1st and 2nd baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs, appeared in the 1966, 1969, 1970 and 1971 World Series, and was selected 4 times as an All-Star. Johnson has been a success both as a player (when he was typically known as "Dave") and as a manager (when the occasional use of "Davey" became permanent). As a player, he is remembered for hitting 43 home runs in 1973, while as a manager he is remembered for almost always finishing in 1st or 2nd place. After being let go by the Atlanta Braves in April of 1975, he played for the Tokyo Giants in Japan in 1975 and 1976. Johnson was the first foreign player for the Giants after they won a record nine straight Japan Series titles without any gaijin assistance. Manager Shigeo Nagashima personally selected Johnson to become the team's first foreigner in over a decade and Johnson was to replace Hall-of-Famer Nagashima at third base. After predicting a 50-home-run season, Johnson hit just 13 HR. In June he set a Central League record by striking out in eight consecutive at-bats. Worse, his overall line was .197/.275/.356, a far cry from what Nagashima had been hitting. Davey became known as "Dame (No Good)" Johnson, was ridiculed by the press and fans. Additionally he lost almost 15% of his body weight and broke a bone in his shoulder to lose a month of playing time. For the first time ever, Yomiuri finished last and Johnson certainly deserved and received some of the blame. In January of 1976, Davey became one of the few Americans to participate in the "voluntary" training camps attended by practically all the Japanese players. He returned to play second base but injured his left thumb while sliding into a base and demanded to go to the USA to see a specialist; Nagashima refused and Johnson went against the most popular man in Japanese baseball (who had also gotten him his job). When Johnson went ahead to see Dr. Robert Kerlan in Los Angeles, CA the press began calling for a reinstitution of the Giants' ban on gaijin. Kerlan said Johnson had an inflamed neroma and Davey sat out a couple weeks waiting to get a return visa to Japan, then (as per medical advice) neglected batting practice upon returning to action. He hit a game-winning grand slam in his first day back and homered 9 times in 12 games. He hit 18 HR in August and September - overall he hit .275/.365/.539 with 26 homers and hit the pennant-clinching homer. He won a Gold Glove and was named to the Best Nine. Johnson had done a goat-to-hero turn and Yomiuri went worst-to-first. Despite promises from Nagashima that he was not required to take batting practice due to his injury, the Yomiuri coaches forced him to do so during the Japan Series. Johnson was 0 for 13 with 6 K's in the post-season. Yomiuri GM Roy Saeki offered Johnson an $80,000 contract, a 20% pay cut. Johnson said he'd sign if Nagashima apologized for going back on his word. The manager/national hero refused and the Giants did not renew the contract, claiming Davey had made unrealistic demands. Giants star Tsuneo Horiuchi said "We don't need any greedy gaijin" and fellow Yomiuri leader Sadaharu Oh criticized Johnson's character. The Kintetsu Buffaloes expressed interest in signing Johnson but the Giants barred the way, using their influence as the most popular and powerful team in Japan. Johnson, who had wanted to return to play and coach in Japan, returned to the US where he finished out his playing career with the Phillies and the Cubs. He made his managerial debut in 1979 with the Miami Amigos, leading that team to the best record in the Inter-American League. In 1981 he was skipper of the Jackson Mets of the Texas League and in 1983 he led the Tidewater Tides. In 1984, Johnson became manager of the New York Mets and their record improved by 22 games in his first season with the team, as they went from last place to second. Two years later, he led the team to their best record ever and a World Series title. In 1993, Johnson replaced Tony Perez as skipper of the Cincinnati Reds, and in 1996, he moved on to the Baltimore Orioles. However, he was fired by O's owner Peter Angelos in 1997 after winning the AL Manager of the Year Award and leading the Orioles to 98 wins and the playoffs. He spent 1999 and 2000 as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. More recently, Johnson was an assistant coach for the 2004 Dutch Olympic baseball team to Robert Eenhoorn. He managed Team USA in the 2005 Baseball World Cup. Johnson guided Team USA to the title in the 2007 Baseball World Cup - it was the first time the US had ever beaten the Cuban national team in the Gold Medal game in a Baseball World Cup. He was the manager of the 2008 United States Olympic team, which took home a Bronze Medal. SKU: SPP00197
Item: SPP00197
|