Bob Johnson, baseball player, 288 home runs, 1933-1945

Bob Johnson

Born: 11/26/1905 in Pryor, OK, USA

Died: 7/6/1982 in Tacoma, WA, USA

MLB Debut: 1933-04-12 | Final Game: 1945-09-23

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Robert Lee Johnson

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Biography

Bob Johnson, born in 1905, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1933 until his retirement in 1945. Over the course of his career, Johnson appeared in 1,863 games, establishing himself as a formidable hitter with a career batting average of .296. He accumulated 2,051 hits and 288 home runs, while driving in 1,283 runs. Known for his power and consistency at the plate, Johnson also showcased his speed on the bases, finishing his career with 96 stolen bases. His offensive prowess earned him eight All-Star selections, marking him as one of the standout players of his era. Johnson played during a transformative time in baseball, navigating the league through the Great Depression and into the post-war years. His contributions were vital in the evolution of the game, as he represented a blend of power hitting and solid contact that became increasingly valuable. As a key player in the 1930s and 1940s, Johnson left a lasting legacy, remembered not only for his impressive statistics but also for his role in popularizing a style of play that emphasized both speed and power. His career remains a testament to the skill and competitiveness of players from this significant period in baseball history.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
30.0 27.0 2.0 7.0 1.0 0 0 0 3.0 2.0 0 0.259 0.333 0.296 0.629

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1944 30.0 27.0 2.0 7.0 1.0 0 0 0 3.0 2.0 0 0.259 0.333 0.296 0.629

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1863 6920 1239 2051 396 95 288 1283 96 1075 851 0.296 0.393 0.506 0.899 37612.6

Career AVG .296 vs. league average .269 across their career seasons — +10.2% above league average.

Career OBP .393 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — +17.1% above league average.

Career SLG .506 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — +33.5% above league average.

Career OPS 0.899 vs. league average 0.714 across their career seasons — +25.8% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1933 PHA AL 142 535 103 155 44 4 21 93 8 85 74 0.290 .270 (+7%) .329 (+17%) .377 (+34%) .707 (+26%) 2927.0
1934 PHA AL 141 547 111 168 26 6 34 92 12 58 60 0.307 .278 (+10%) .340 (+10%) .392 (+43%) .733 (+28%) 3029.3
1935 PHA AL 147 582 103 174 29 5 28 109 2 78 76 0.299 .279 (+7%) .342 (+12%) .399 (+28%) .742 (+20%) 2584.6
1936 PHA AL 153 566 91 165 29 14 25 121 6 88 71 0.292 .283 (+3%) .349 (+11%) .404 (+30%) .753 (+21%) 2607.6
1937 PHA AL 138 477 91 146 32 6 25 108 9 98 65 0.306 .276 (+11%) .342 (+24%) .398 (+40%) .740 (+32%) 3493.6
1938 PHA AL 152 563 114 176 27 9 30 113 9 87 73 0.313 .272 (+15%) .341 (+19%) .392 (+41%) .734 (+31%) 3721.1
1939 PHA AL 150 544 115 184 30 9 23 114 15 99 59 0.338 .274 (+23%) .342 (+29%) .393 (+41%) .735 (+35%) 4311.1
1940 PHA AL 138 512 93 137 25 4 31 103 8 83 64 0.268 .267 (avg) .335 (+12%) .387 (+32%) .722 (+23%) 2470.5
1941 PHA AL 149 552 98 152 30 8 22 107 6 95 75 0.275 .262 (+5%) .332 (+16%) .373 (+28%) .705 (+22%) 2665.4
1942 PHA AL 149 550 78 160 35 7 13 80 3 82 61 0.291 .253 (+15%) .323 (+19%) .349 (+29%) .672 (+24%) 2687.9
1943 WSN AL 117 438 65 116 22 8 7 63 11 64 50 0.265 .255 (+3%) .324 (+12%) .346 (+15%) .671 (+13%) 1186.2
1944 BOS AL 144 525 106 170 40 8 17 106 2 95 67 0.324 .261 (+24%) .325 (+32%) .357 (+48%) .683 (+40%) 4439.2
1945 BOS AL 143 529 71 148 27 7 12 74 5 63 56 0.280 .260 (+7%) .328 (+9%) .354 (+20%) .683 (+15%) 1489.1

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 39 0 328 27 5 39
2B 28 0 58 76 9 23
3B 20 0 27 41 8 5
OF 1769 0 4003 208 141 35

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1933 PHA OF 142 0 298 16 16 3
1934 PHA OF 139 0 304 17 11 3
1935 PHA OF 147 0 337 13 20 4
1936 PHA 1B 1 0 5 0 0 2
1936 PHA 2B 22 0 51 69 7 20
1936 PHA OF 131 0 289 13 12 3
1937 PHA 2B 2 0 1 1 0 0
1937 PHA OF 133 0 313 14 8 3
1938 PHA 2B 3 0 6 6 2 3
1938 PHA 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1938 PHA OF 150 0 400 21 16 3
1939 PHA 2B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1939 PHA OF 150 0 369 15 13 3
1940 PHA OF 136 0 310 15 13 4
1941 PHA 1B 28 0 254 18 5 29
1941 PHA OF 122 0 287 17 3 0
1942 PHA OF 149 0 318 18 13 1
1943 WS1 1B 10 0 69 9 0 8
1943 WS1 3B 19 0 27 41 8 5
1943 WS1 OF 88 0 212 11 1 1
1944 BOS OF 142 0 270 23 7 3
1945 BOS OF 140 0 296 15 8 4

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 39
Second Base 28
Third Base 20
Left Field 1586
Center Field 167
Right Field 27

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1939 Baseball Magazine All-Star LF

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1945 Most Valuable Player AL 23th 6.0 336 0
1944 Most Valuable Player AL 10th 51.0 336 0
1943 Most Valuable Player AL 5th 116.0 336 1
1939 Most Valuable Player AL 8th 52.0 336 0
1938 Most Valuable Player AL 17th 13.0 336 0
1933 Most Valuable Player AL 15th 5.0 80 0