Doc Johnston
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1909-1922)
Doc Johnston was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1909 to 1922 for 4 teams, including the Cincinnati Reds, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,055 career games, he hit .263 with 992 hits, 14 home runs, and 381 RBI.
- 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
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 170 lb
- Died
- 2/17/1961 in Chattanooga, TN, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1909-10-03
- Last Game
- 1922-09-30
Full name: Wheeler Roger Johnston
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,055 | 3,774 | 478 | 992 | 154 | 68 | 14 | 381 | 139 | 264 | 307 | .263 | .319 | .351 | .670 | -514 |
Career AVG .263 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .319 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .351 vs. league average .351 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .670 vs. league average .677 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | CIN | NL | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1912 | CLE | AL | 43 | 164 | 22 | 46 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 12 | .280 | .268 (+4%) | .335 (-3%) | .358 (+9%) | .694 (+3%) | 36.4 |
| 1913 | CLE | AL | 133 | 530 | 74 | 135 | 19 | 12 | 2 | 39 | 19 | 35 | 65 | .255 | .259 (-2%) | .325 (-5%) | .345 (avg) | .670 (-2%) | -250.4 |
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 103 | 340 | 43 | 83 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 14 | 28 | 46 | .244 | .255 (-4%) | .322 (-4%) | .339 (-13%) | .661 (-9%) | -387.8 |
| 1915 | PIT | NL | 147 | 543 | 71 | 144 | 19 | 12 | 5 | 64 | 26 | 38 | 40 | .265 | .250 (+6%) | .318 (+3%) | .332 (+12%) | .651 (+8%) | 709.5 |
| 1916 | PIT | NL | 114 | 404 | 33 | 86 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 39 | 17 | 20 | 42 | .213 | .248 (-14%) | .314 (-17%) | .326 (-12%) | .640 (-14%) | -910.7 |
| 1918 | CLE | AL | 74 | 273 | 30 | 62 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 12 | 26 | 19 | .227 | .255 (-11%) | .318 (-5%) | .326 (-12%) | .645 (-9%) | -330.0 |
| 1919 | CLE | AL | 102 | 331 | 42 | 101 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 33 | 21 | 25 | 18 | .305 | .262 (+16%) | .322 (+11%) | .347 (+10%) | .670 (+11%) | 669.1 |
| 1920 | CLE | AL | 147 | 535 | 68 | 156 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 71 | 13 | 28 | 32 | .292 | .271 (+7%) | .331 (avg) | .363 (+6%) | .694 (+3%) | 238.9 |
| 1921 | CLE | AL | 118 | 384 | 53 | 114 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 46 | 2 | 29 | 15 | .297 | .286 (+4%) | .344 (+2%) | .395 (+1%) | .739 (+2%) | 139.8 |
| 1922 | PHA | AL | 71 | 260 | 41 | 65 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 7 | 24 | 15 | .250 | .285 (-12%) | .345 (-9%) | .397 (-10%) | .743 (-9%) | -428.8 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 1,055 | 3,774 | 478 | 992 | 154 | 68 | 14 | 381 | 139 | 264 | 307 | .263 | — | — | — | — | -514 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1058 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 542 | 1913 | 256 | 522 | 3 | 196 | .273 |
| Away | 516 | 1866 | 222 | 472 | 11 | 195 | .253 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922-09-30 | PHA | MIN | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-09-29 | PHA | MIN | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1922-09-22 | PHA | SLA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-08-26 | PHA | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1922-07-26 | PHA | CLE | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1922-07-22 | PHA | SLA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-07-02 | PHA | NYY | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-07-01 | PHA | NYY | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-06-30 | PHA | BOS | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922-06-28 | PHA | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1023 | 3 | 9739 | 507 | 113 | 526 |
| OF | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | CIN | 1B | 3 | 3 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912 | CLE | 1B | 41 | 0 | 330 | 17 | 3 | 27 |
| 1913 | CLE | 1B | 133 | 0 | 1319 | 76 | 15 | 76 |
| 1914 | CLE | 1B | 90 | 0 | 847 | 36 | 12 | 43 |
| 1914 | CLE | OF | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1915 | PIT | 1B | 147 | 0 | 1453 | 48 | 13 | 65 |
| 1916 | PIT | 1B | 110 | 0 | 1042 | 47 | 14 | 44 |
| 1918 | CLE | 1B | 73 | 0 | 738 | 40 | 9 | 25 |
| 1919 | CLE | 1B | 98 | 0 | 957 | 57 | 16 | 57 |
| 1920 | CLE | 1B | 147 | 0 | 1427 | 91 | 12 | 83 |
| 1921 | CLE | 1B | 116 | 0 | 960 | 62 | 12 | 72 |
| 1922 | PHA | 1B | 65 | 0 | 641 | 31 | 7 | 34 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1023 |
| Center Field | 2 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Doc Johnston (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Doc Johnston: the record in brief
The profile opens with Doc Johnston's first major league game on October 3, 1909; the last one listed came on September 30, 1922. Johnston played for the Cincinnati Reds (1909), the Cleveland Naps (1912 through 1914), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1915 through 1916), the Cleveland Indians (1918 through 1921), and the Philadelphia Athletics (1922). Johnston is listed as a first baseman at 6-foot-0 and 170 pounds. Johnston both batted and threw left-handed, per the bio block. Johnston was born on September 9, 1887, in Cleveland, TN, USA. The bio records the death on February 17, 1961, in Chattanooga, TN, USA. The given name on file is Wheeler Roger Johnston.
The batting record for Johnston: 1,055 games, 992 hits in 3,774 at bats, and a .263 average, along with 14 homers, 381 RBI, and 139 stolen bases. Johnston got on base at a .319 rate and slugged .351 (.670 OPS). Against a .263 league average for those years, Johnston's .263 average was near the norm. No season topped the 156 hits of 1920. The RBI column peaks at 71 in 1920. 1915 brought a season-best 26 stolen bases.
Frequently Asked Questions about Doc Johnston
- What years did Doc Johnston play?
- Doc Johnston played in Major League Baseball from 1909 to 1922.
- Was Doc Johnston a pitcher?
- No. Doc Johnston was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Doc Johnston hit?
- Doc Johnston hit 14 career home runs with 992 hits.
- What was Doc Johnston's career batting average?
- Doc Johnston batted .263 over his career, with 992 hits in 3,774 at bats.
- How many RBI did Doc Johnston have?
- Doc Johnston drove in 381 runs in his career.
- Is Doc Johnston in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Doc Johnston has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.