For other people with similar names, see Ron Johnson (disambiguation). Baseball player
Ronny Johnson | |
---|---|
Pitcher / First baseman | |
Born: (1962-11-08) November 8, 1962 (age 62) San Jose, California, United States | |
Bats: RightThrows: Right | |
Teams | |
Member of the Australian | |
Baseball Hall of Fame | |
Induction | 2005 |
Ronny George Johnson (born November 8, 1962) is an American-Australian former professional baseball player and Olympic competitor. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 190 pounds (86 kg) during his professional career, he threw and batted right-handed. He is an inductee of the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame.
Biography
Johnson played high school baseball in Canyon Country, California, as a pitcher and right fielder. In 1981, Johnson played college baseball for Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, where he pitched in 11 games (six starts), recording a 2–5 win–loss record with a 4.05 earned run average (ERA) and one save. He also appeared in 24 games as a designated hitter, accruing a .265 batting average with five home runs and 20 runs batted in (RBIs). He was selected in the second round of the January 1982 winter MLB draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. He signed with the Blue Jays organization in May 1982.
Johnson played in Minor League Baseball from 1982 to 1985, for farm teams of the Blue Jays and Texas Rangers. He pitched in 65 games (27 starts) compiling a 13–15 record with 4.52 ERA while striking out 159 batters in 229 innings pitched. He did not play above the Single-A level.
Johnson subsequently played professional baseball in Australia from 1989 to 1999. He competed for the Australia national baseball team in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, held in Italy. At age 37, Johnson competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics for Australia, appearing in six games as a first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter. During the Olympic baseball tournament, the Australian team compiled a 2–5 record, finishing seventh in the field of eight teams. Johnson was inducted to the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame in 2005.
References
- ^ "Ron Johnson Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- "Cowboy Hitting Destroys Bell-Jeff, 10-0". The Signal. Newhall, California. 21 March 1980. p. 8. Retrieved 4 February 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Draftee Ron Johnson Signs With Blue Jays". The Cincinnati Enquirer. AP. 20 May 1982. p. C-8. Retrieved 4 February 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Jays sign second pick from free-agent draft". Tampa Bay Times. 20 May 1982. p. 13. Retrieved 4 February 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- "Baseball: Winter Draft". Los Angeles Times. 13 January 1982. p. III-11. Retrieved 4 February 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Australian Baseball Hall of Fame". baseball.com.au. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- "Athletes: Ron Johnson". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 August 2000. p. 74. Retrieved 3 February 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ronny Johnson Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- 1962 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from San Jose, California
- LAPC Brahma Bulls baseball players
- Medicine Hat Blue Jays players
- Florence Blue Jays players
- Burlington Rangers players
- Daytona Beach Admirals players
- Olympic baseball players for Australia
- Baseball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- 20th-century Australian sportsmen