Billy Johnson, Former New York Yankee and All-Star Third Baseman
Bill Schenley
was an All-Star in 1947, died June 20th in Augusta, Georgia. He was 87.
Johnson played for the Yankees in 1943 and from 1946 until May of the 1951
season when he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for first baseman Don
Bollweg. His major league career ended when the Cardinals released him in
May of 1953.
Johnson was a favorite of manager Joe McCarthy after McCarthy saw him taking
batting practice in the snow in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
He was named to the All-Star team in 1947, a season during which he hit .285
with ten home runs and had 95 runs-batted-in.
That same year, in the World Series, Billy Johnson set a seven-game WS
record when he hit four triples.
When Casey Stengel replaced Bucky Harris as the Yankee manager in 1949,
Johnson's days as a Yankee were numbered. Bobby Brown replaced him at third
base.
He played for five Yankee World Series championship teams (1943, 47, 49, 50)
and hit .237 in 59 at-bats.
His career batting line is 61/487/.271.
---
Stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/johnsbi03.shtml
---
<Note: In the Augusta Chronicle obituary below, it says that Johnson was
the 1943 Rookie of the Year ... The ROY award began in 1947 and Johnson was
not the winner.>
William Johnson, Sr., Retired Professional Baseball Player
Photo:
http://www.angelfire.com/mb/markssigningbonus/billyjohnson.JPG
FROM: The Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle (June 22nd) ~
Mr. William Russell Johnson, Sr., 87, beloved husband of Louise Robinson
Johnson, entered into rest on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at his residence.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2006 at 11:00 AM at The
Hill Baptist Church with Dr. Michael Ruffin, Dr. Al Cadenhead and Dr. Gordon
Robinson officiating.
Burial will follow at Westover Memorial Park.
Mr. Johnson, a native of Montclair, New Jersey, was a professional baseball
player. He joined the New York Yankees in 1943, and was named Rookie of the
Year. He missed the next two seasons to serve in the United States Army
during World War II, but after the war ended, he returned to baseball. He
played in four World Series with the Yankees in 1943, 1947, 1949 and 1950.
He was selected to the All Star Team in 1947. He was traded to the St. Louis
Cardinals in 1951, and ended his baseball career two years later.
He then went to work for theGraniteville Company as a shipping supervisor,
and retired after almost 30 years of service.
He was a member of The Hill Baptist Church, and a member of the Sim Folk
Men's Sunday School Class.
In addition to his wife Louise, he is survived by a son, William Russell
Johnson, Jr. and wife Janice; a daughter, Brenda Johnson Prince, and
husband, Abbie, and a sister, Ann Johnson Frietag, of Waldwick, New Jersey.
His grandchildren include Paula Prince Hughes, and husband, Chip, Taylor
Leigh Johnson, Marty Danielle Hutto, and Jason Kirk Hutto.
Pallbearers will be Scott Rodgers, Dr. J. Ben Deal, Dr. Bo Sherwood, Billy
Hester, Gary Frietag, Kenny Frietag, Dr. Kevin Westra, and Jack Coley.
If so desired, memorials may be made to The Hill Baptist Church, 2165 Kings
Way, Augusta, Georgia, 30904, or to the Baptist Children's Home, 9420
Blackshear Highway, Baxley, Georgia, 31513.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday evening, June
23, 2006 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Platt's Funeral Home, 721 Crawford Ave.
733-3636
---
1948 Bowman (#33) baseball card:
http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/48bowman/48bowman-33.jpg
1949 Bowman (#129) baseball card:
http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/49bowman/49bowman-129.jpg
1950 Bowman (#120) baseball card:
http://www.first-to-third.com/catalog/Oct08_83_BJ_tn.jpg
1951 Bowman (#74) baseball card:
http://www.707sportscards.com/psa-cards/30866665.jpg
1952 Topps (#83) baseball card:
http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/52topps/52topps-083.jpg
1953 Topps (#21) baseball card:
http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/53topps/53topps-021.jpg