Rest In Peace Davey Johnson

We continue to remember former major leaguers who passed in 2025 with 13 year major league player and 17 season manager Davey Johnson. Whether you loved him or hated him, you knew who Davey Johnson was.

Johnson started his career in 1965 in Baltimore and spent eight seasons playing for the Orioles. He was solid but wasn't overly exciting while playing there. After the 1972 season, Johnson found himself in the middle of six player deal that sent him to Atlanta where he would have a career year.

In his first season with the Braves, Johnson was part of "The Atlanta Trio" with Hank Aaron and Darrell Evans. Each member of the trio hit more than 40 homeruns. His time in Atlanta would end during the 1975 season and he found himself playing in Japan. A couple years later he would return as a pinch hitting specialist for the Phillies and would hit two pinch hit grand slams in the same season. This feat has only been done twice in baseball historically, ironically both times in 1978. (Mike Ivie was the other player to do it.) Johnson would be traded to the Cubs during the 1978 season and retire after the season.

Despite a solid career as a player, his career as a manager is where he really shined. In 17 seasons, his teams had a .562 win percentage and one World Series Trophy, with the 1986 New York Mets. Johnson last managed in 2013 with the Washington Nationals. In 2014, he was a consultant for the Nationals and retired from the game after the season.

I watched Davey Johnson throughout his entire managerial career but my biggest memory of him was the season in Philly when he hit two grand slams. I was only nine but I remember it like it was yesterday.

Davey Johnson was a good baseball player and a great baseball manager who will be missed. For that reason, he will always be a Baseball Card Memory. Rest in Peace, Davey!