Lefty Johnson
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1884-1892)
Lefty Johnson was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1892 for 4 teams, including the Philadelphia Keystones, a span of 9 seasons. In 169 career games, he hit .264 with 168 hits, 2 home runs, and 90 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 1,513.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- — / 167 lb
- Died
- 7/17/1942 in Chester, PA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1884-06-27
- Last Game
- 1892-04-27
Full name: William F. Johnson
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 169 | 636 | 121 | 168 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 90 | 45 | 98 | 61 | .264 | .368 | .351 | .718 | 1,513 |
Career AVG .264 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .368 vs. league average .318 across their career seasons — +15.5% above league average.
Career SLG .351 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .718 vs. league average .662 across their career seasons — +8.4% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | PHU | UA | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1887 | IN3 | NL | 11 | 42 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | .190 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1890 | BL3 | AA | 24 | 95 | 15 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 0 | .295 | .260 (+13%) | .336 (+4%) | .351 (+8%) | .687 (+6%) | 72.6 |
| 1891 | BL3 | AA | 129 | 480 | 101 | 130 | 13 | 14 | 2 | 79 | 32 | 89 | 55 | .271 | .254 (+7%) | .331 (+17%) | .343 (+7%) | .675 (+12%) | 1439.9 |
| 1892 | BLN | NL | 4 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .133 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 169 | 636 | 121 | 168 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 90 | 45 | 98 | 61 | .264 | — | — | — | — | 1,512 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 62 |
| Center Field | 24 |
| Right Field | 84 |
Lefty Johnson: the record in brief
The profile opens with Lefty Johnson's first major league game on June 27, 1884; the last one listed came on April 27, 1892. Johnson played for the Philadelphia Keystones (1884), the Indianapolis Hoosiers (1887), and the Baltimore Orioles (1890 through 1892). The bio lists Johnson as an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed. Johnson was born on September 28, 1861, in NJ, USA. The bio records the death on July 17, 1942, in Chester, PA, USA. Lefty Johnson was the playing name; the full given name is William F.
In 169 games and 636 at bats, Johnson batted .264 with 168 hits, plus 2 home runs, 90 runs batted in, and 45 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .368 clip and slugging .351, Johnson finished with a .718 OPS. The .264 career average is close to the .254 the league hit across the same seasons. No season topped the 130 hits of 1891. On the bases, the high point was 32 steals in 1891.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lefty Johnson
- What years did Lefty Johnson play?
- Lefty Johnson played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1892.
- Was Lefty Johnson a pitcher?
- No. Lefty Johnson was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Lefty Johnson hit?
- Lefty Johnson hit 2 career home runs with 168 hits.
- What was Lefty Johnson's career batting average?
- Lefty Johnson batted .264 over his career, with 168 hits in 636 at bats.
- How many RBI did Lefty Johnson have?
- Lefty Johnson drove in 90 runs in his career.
- Is Lefty Johnson in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Lefty Johnson has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.