Who was Davey Johnson? Architect of Mets’ 1986 world series win and Orioles All-Star passes away; MLB teams mourn loss

Davey Johnson, a baseball legend who starred as an All-Star second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles and later guided the New York Mets to their iconic 1986 World Series win, has passed away at 82.

Davey Johnson's playing career

Born on January 30, 1943, in Orlando, Florida, David Allen Johnson grew up in San Antonio, Texas, in a military family. After playing at Texas A&M, he signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 1962 and debuted in the MLB in 1965. As a second baseman, Johnson was a defensive standout, earning three Gold Glove awards and contributing to Baltimore’s World Series titles in 1966 and 1970.

A four-time All-Star, he made his mark offensively in 1973 with the Atlanta Braves, setting a single-season record for second basemen with 43 home runs. Johnson also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and spent two seasons (1975-76) with NPB’s Tokyo Giants, becoming their first non-Japanese player. He retired in 1978 after 13 MLB seasons.

Davey Johnson’s role as a manager

Davey Johnson’s managerial career was equally remarkable, with a 1,372-1,071 record (.562 winning percentage) across 17 seasons, ranking him among baseball’s elite. His greatest success came with the New York Mets, whom he managed from 1984 to 1990. Taking over a team that hadn’t won a pennant since 1973, Johnson transformed the Mets into a powerhouse, boasting a .588 winning percentage, the highest in franchise history. His 595 wins remain a Mets record.

Under Johnson’s leadership, the 1986 Mets, featuring stars like Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, and Gary Carter, won 108 games, highest number by the franchise and captured the World Series in a dramatic seven-game series against the Boston Red Sox.

Johnson became the first National League manager to win at least 90 games in each of his first five seasons. Despite another division title in 1988, a feud with general manager Frank Cashen led to his dismissal in 1990.

Success across franchises

Davey Johnson’s skills for turning teams into contenders continued with the Cincinnati Reds (1993-95), where he won a division title in 1995, and the Orioles (1996-97), leading them to the postseason in both seasons. He later managed the Los Angeles Dodgers (1999-2000) and Washington Nationals (2011-13), guiding the latter to their first postseason in 2012. Johnson earned Manager of the Year honors in 1997 (Orioles) and 2012 (Nationals). He also led Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and managed in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Johnson’s bold leadership and tactical acumen left an indelible mark on baseball, cementing his place as one of the game’s greats.