Johnny Ray
Born: 3/1/1957 in Chouteau, OK, USA
MLB Debut: 1981-09-02 | Final Game: 1990-09-30
Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: John Cornelius Ray
Biography
Johnny Ray, born in 1957, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1981 until his retirement on September 30, 1990. Over his 9-year career, Ray played in 1,353 games, establishing himself as a reliable hitter with a career batting average of .290. He accumulated 1,502 hits, including 53 home runs and 594 runs batted in, while also showcasing his speed on the base paths with 80 stolen bases. Ray's consistent performance earned him recognition as the TSN Rookie Player of the Year and a selection to the All-Star Game during his career.
Ray's playing style was characterized by his ability to hit for average and his versatility on the field, making him a valuable asset to his teams. He played during a transformative era in baseball, where offense began to take a more prominent role in the game. His contributions on the field not only reflected his personal talent but also highlighted the increasing emphasis on offensive production in the late 20th century. Johnny Ray remains a respected figure in baseball history, remembered for his achievements and the impact he had during his playing days.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 742.0 | 637.0 | 111.0 | 161.0 | 12.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 30.0 | 85.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 0.253 | 0.350 | 0.305 | 0.655 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 72.0 | 60.0 | 15.0 | 26.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0.433 | 0.521 | 0.500 | 1.021 |
| 1938 | 14.0 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.167 | 0.286 | 0.167 | 0.453 |
| 1939 | 118.0 | 102.0 | 22.0 | 23.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 4.0 | 14.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 0.225 | 0.331 | 0.284 | 0.615 |
| 1940 | 110.0 | 87.0 | 20.0 | 23.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 21.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.264 | 0.423 | 0.264 | 0.687 |
| 1941 | 38.0 | 31.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.194 | 0.324 | 0.194 | 0.518 |
| 1942 | 25.0 | 23.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.174 | 0.240 | 0.174 | 0.414 |
| 1943 | 137.0 | 120.0 | 19.0 | 26.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 10.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0.217 | 0.282 | 0.258 | 0.540 |
| 1944 | 139.0 | 123.0 | 17.0 | 28.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 13.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.228 | 0.312 | 0.260 | 0.572 |
| 1945 | 89.0 | 79.0 | 9.0 | 23.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.291 | 0.356 | 0.468 | 0.824 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1353 | 5188 | 604 | 1502 | 294 | 36 | 53 | 594 | 80 | 353 | 329 | 0.290 | 0.333 | 0.391 | 0.724 | 1007.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | PIT | NL | 31 | 102 | 10 | 25 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0.245 | -156.6 |
| 1982 | PIT | NL | 162 | 647 | 79 | 182 | 30 | 7 | 7 | 63 | 16 | 36 | 34 | 0.281 | -362.2 |
| 1983 | PIT | NL | 151 | 576 | 68 | 163 | 38 | 7 | 5 | 53 | 18 | 35 | 26 | 0.283 | 8.4 |
| 1984 | PIT | NL | 155 | 555 | 75 | 173 | 38 | 6 | 6 | 67 | 11 | 37 | 31 | 0.312 | 1180.8 |
| 1985 | PIT | NL | 154 | 594 | 67 | 163 | 33 | 3 | 7 | 70 | 13 | 46 | 24 | 0.274 | -280.0 |
| 1986 | PIT | NL | 155 | 579 | 67 | 174 | 33 | 0 | 7 | 78 | 6 | 58 | 47 | 0.301 | 713.1 |
| 1987 | LAA | AL | 30 | 127 | 16 | 44 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0.346 | 108.5 |
| 1987 | PIT | NL | 123 | 472 | 48 | 129 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 54 | 4 | 41 | 36 | 0.273 | 108.5 |
| 1988 | LAA | AL | 153 | 602 | 75 | 184 | 42 | 7 | 6 | 83 | 4 | 36 | 38 | 0.306 | 1160.9 |
| 1989 | LAA | AL | 134 | 530 | 52 | 153 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 62 | 6 | 36 | 30 | 0.289 | -210.7 |
| 1990 | LAA | AL | 105 | 404 | 47 | 112 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 43 | 2 | 19 | 44 | 0.277 | -410.5 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1277 | 1219 | 2682 | 3836 | 118 | 828 |
| OF | 40 | 41 | 75 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | PIT | 2B | 31 | 25 | 52 | 96 | 2 | 22 |
| 1982 | PIT | 2B | 162 | 162 | 381 | 512 | 21 | 89 |
| 1983 | PIT | 2B | 151 | 138 | 319 | 452 | 13 | 102 |
| 1984 | PIT | 2B | 149 | 134 | 331 | 400 | 12 | 90 |
| 1985 | PIT | 2B | 151 | 145 | 305 | 423 | 18 | 89 |
| 1986 | PIT | 2B | 151 | 144 | 280 | 479 | 5 | 89 |
| 1987 | CAL | 2B | 29 | 29 | 52 | 90 | 2 | 19 |
| 1987 | PIT | 2B | 119 | 115 | 248 | 358 | 12 | 84 |
| 1988 | CAL | 2B | 104 | 102 | 194 | 328 | 15 | 64 |
| 1988 | CAL | OF | 40 | 41 | 75 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 1989 | CAL | 2B | 130 | 130 | 279 | 403 | 11 | 98 |
| 1990 | CAL | 2B | 100 | 95 | 241 | 295 | 7 | 82 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1277 |
| Left Field | 40 |
| Designated Hitter | 8 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Player of the Week | Week of 1988-04-22 |
| 1988 | TSN All-Star | 2B |
| 1986 | Player of the Month | April |
| 1986 | Player of the Week | Week of 1986-04-11 |
| 1985 | Player of the Week | Week of 1985-10-04 |
| 1984 | Player of the Week | Week of 1984-09-21 |
| 1984 | Player of the Week | Week of 1984-08-10 |
| 1983 | Silver Slugger | 2B |
| 1982 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | CAL | AL | $1,125,000 |
| 1989 | CAL | AL | $850,000 |
| 1988 | CAL | AL | $732,000 |
| 1987 | PIT | NL | $807,000 |
| 1986 | PIT | NL | $757,000 |
| 1985 | PIT | NL | $632,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $4,903,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville | AR | 1978, 1979 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 2nd | 57.0 | 120 | 6 |