Jimmy Johnston
Born: 12/10/1889 in Cleveland, TN, USA
Died: 2/14/1967 in Chattanooga, TN, USA
MLB Debut: 1911-05-03 | Final Game: 1926-09-11
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: James Harle Johnston
Biography
Jimmy Johnston was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1911 to 1926. Born in 1889, Johnston made his mark in an era characterized by a transition in baseball dynamics, where the sport was beginning to embrace a more aggressive style of play. Over the course of 1,377 games, he established himself as a reliable hitter and a formidable base runner. With a career batting average of .294, Johnston accumulated 1,493 hits, showcasing his consistent offensive prowess. He also recorded 22 home runs and drove in 410 runs, reflecting his ability to contribute significantly to his team's scoring efforts.
In addition to his offensive skills, Johnston was known for his speed on the bases, successfully stealing 169 bases throughout his career. His all-around abilities made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, including the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies. Johnston's contributions during the early 20th century helped shape the evolving game of baseball, as players began to emphasize speed and contact hitting. His legacy remains significant, as he navigated an era that set the stage for future generations of players who would continue to redefine the sport.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1377 | 5070 | 754 | 1493 | 185 | 75 | 22 | 410 | 169 | 391 | 246 | 0.294 | 0.347 | 0.374 | 0.721 | 2109.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CHW | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1914 | CHC | NL | 50 | 101 | 9 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 0.228 | -205.7 |
| 1916 | BRO | NL | 118 | 425 | 58 | 107 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 22 | 35 | 38 | 0.252 | 2.4 |
| 1917 | BRO | NL | 103 | 330 | 33 | 89 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 16 | 23 | 28 | 0.270 | 88.0 |
| 1918 | BRO | NL | 123 | 484 | 54 | 136 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 27 | 22 | 33 | 31 | 0.281 | 381.8 |
| 1919 | BRO | NL | 117 | 405 | 56 | 114 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 29 | 26 | 0.281 | 47.0 |
| 1920 | BRO | NL | 155 | 635 | 87 | 185 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 52 | 19 | 43 | 23 | 0.291 | -151.4 |
| 1921 | BRO | NL | 152 | 624 | 104 | 203 | 41 | 14 | 5 | 56 | 28 | 45 | 26 | 0.325 | 1332.2 |
| 1922 | BRO | NL | 138 | 567 | 110 | 181 | 20 | 7 | 4 | 49 | 18 | 38 | 17 | 0.319 | 267.1 |
| 1923 | BRO | NL | 151 | 625 | 111 | 203 | 29 | 11 | 4 | 60 | 16 | 53 | 15 | 0.325 | 1148.7 |
| 1924 | BRO | NL | 86 | 315 | 51 | 94 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 5 | 27 | 10 | 0.298 | -118.2 |
| 1925 | BRO | NL | 123 | 431 | 63 | 128 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 43 | 7 | 45 | 15 | 0.297 | -318.2 |
| 1926 | BSN | NL | 23 | 57 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 0.246 | -43.6 |
| 1926 | NY1 | NL | 37 | 69 | 11 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0.232 | -43.6 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 24 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.250 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | WS | BRO | 4 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.214 |
| 1916 | WS | BRO | 3 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.300 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 49 | 0 | 424 | 38 | 12 | 16 |
| 2B | 243 | 0 | 560 | 820 | 73 | 117 |
| 3B | 448 | 0 | 473 | 815 | 103 | 70 |
| OF | 354 | 0 | 691 | 53 | 38 | 13 |
| SS | 178 | 0 | 391 | 631 | 64 | 99 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914 | CHN | 2B | 4 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 1914 | CHN | OF | 28 | 0 | 58 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| 1916 | BRO | OF | 106 | 0 | 224 | 16 | 9 | 3 |
| 1917 | BRO | 1B | 14 | 0 | 106 | 14 | 5 | 3 |
| 1917 | BRO | 2B | 3 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| 1917 | BRO | 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1917 | BRO | SS | 4 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 1917 | BRO | OF | 66 | 0 | 150 | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| 1918 | BRO | 1B | 21 | 0 | 197 | 16 | 4 | 8 |
| 1918 | BRO | 2B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1918 | BRO | 3B | 4 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1918 | BRO | OF | 96 | 0 | 178 | 18 | 9 | 4 |
| 1919 | BRO | 1B | 2 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1919 | BRO | 2B | 87 | 0 | 157 | 294 | 19 | 31 |
| 1919 | BRO | SS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | BRO | OF | 14 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920 | BRO | 3B | 146 | 0 | 159 | 282 | 31 | 21 |
| 1920 | BRO | SS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920 | BRO | OF | 7 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1921 | BRO | 3B | 150 | 0 | 162 | 312 | 33 | 34 |
| 1921 | BRO | SS | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 1922 | BRO | 2B | 62 | 0 | 162 | 210 | 21 | 36 |
| 1922 | BRO | 3B | 26 | 0 | 36 | 35 | 5 | 1 |
| 1922 | BRO | SS | 50 | 0 | 102 | 189 | 16 | 34 |
| 1923 | BRO | 2B | 84 | 0 | 221 | 291 | 28 | 49 |
| 1923 | BRO | 3B | 14 | 0 | 13 | 26 | 3 | 1 |
| 1923 | BRO | SS | 52 | 0 | 135 | 215 | 20 | 30 |
| 1924 | BRO | 1B | 4 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | BRO | 3B | 10 | 0 | 12 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 1924 | BRO | SS | 63 | 0 | 136 | 203 | 22 | 32 |
| 1924 | BRO | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | BRO | 1B | 8 | 0 | 81 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 1925 | BRO | 3B | 81 | 0 | 76 | 110 | 24 | 10 |
| 1925 | BRO | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1925 | BRO | OF | 20 | 0 | 31 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 1926 | BSN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | BSN | 3B | 14 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 5 | 3 |
| 1926 | BSN | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | NY1 | OF | 14 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 49 |
| Second Base | 243 |
| Third Base | 448 |
| Shortstop | 179 |
| Left Field | 77 |
| Center Field | 130 |
| Right Field | 165 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 3.0 | 80 | 0 |