Home Run Johnson
From BR Bullpen
Grant Johnson (Home Run; Dad)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.
- Born 1874 in Findlay, OH USA
- Died 1964 in Buffalo, NY USA
Home Run Johnson was one of the greatest Negro League sluggers of the Deadball Era. Along with Bud Fowler, he formed the Page Fence Giants in 1895, playing shortstop and acting as team captain despite being just 21 years old, whereas Fowler had been a professional player for 17 years. He went 1 for 8 in games against the Cincinnati Reds that April. When the Page Fence Giants disbanded in 1898 Grant joined the Columbia Giants, then went to the Chicago Union Giants and later the Cuban X-Giants. Despite being only in his mid-20s, Johnson was known as a leader known for his wit and personality as well as his skill on the field.
Johnson continued to bounce around in 1905 when he moved to the Philadelphia Giants and hit .583 against other top black teams. The next year he became player-manager of the Brooklyn Royal Giants and hit .350. He batted .347 in the Cuban Winter League that season and .306 in '07. In 1908 Johnson hit .271 in a 12-game series against Cuban playuers and was 2 for 10 in another crack at the Reds.
At age 36, Home Run Johnson moved to the Leland Giants and became a second baseman as the team had Pop Lloyd. He hit just .207 in their 11 games against other top black teams and managed only .196 against Cuban teams in a series there. Johnson dazzled against white teams, though, hitting .412 against the Detroit Tigers in 12 games (outperforming Ty Cobb) and .429 against the Philadelphia A's in 10 games, 7 of them against Eddie Plank or Chief Bender. The veteran hit .410 in the 1911 Cuban Winter League, second in the circuit. At age 38, he returned to managing as the player-manager of Brooklyn once again, hitting .303 against top black teams. After that he mostly played for minor black teams. He remained active until age 58.
On the field, Grant was known for a patient batting eye in addition to his clutch homers. Off the field, he was known as a singer and a moral person. WHen he finally retired, he worked for the New York Central Railroad Company.
Sources: "The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues" by James Riley, "The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues" by John Holway
Findlay, Ohio’s celebrated contribution to African-American baseball history turned 31-years-old in 1905. His hitting and pitching so electrified the 1905 Philadelphia Giants that many assumed he spent more than one full season with the team. The unselfish qualities of Johnson’s power-packed swing helped him to lead the team in such auspicious categories as hit-by pitches, sacrifice hits and, of course, home runs with twelve. An honorable man of exemplary character, he hustled out ground balls and seldom disputed an umpire’s questionable call. It was equally rare for him to strike out. In one reflective moment Johnson told a reporter, “when I did [strike out] I surprised myself.” Slowed by an injury that occurred early in the season, he missed thirteen days of play. Johnson was rushed back into the team’s starting line-up, and as a consequence his home run totals slumped dramatically. He also was used as a starting pitcher. A submarine pitcher of exceptional ability, he was essentially the Philadelphia Giants’ fourth starter in 1905. His gutsy mound appearances continually kept everyone questioning why he did not pitch more often. Prior to joining the Philadelphia Giants he had teamed with Bill Monroe and Mike Moore in 1900 as members of the Chicago Unions. In 1903 Johnson was captain of the Cuban X Giants when Charlie Grant and “Rube” Foster were on the team. Sources: Phil Dixon's American Baseball Chronicles, Great Teams, The 1905 Philadelphia Giants, Volume Three" by Phil S. Dixon. View Photographs of Johnson at www.Americanbaseballchronicles.com.
