Steamboat Johnson

Harry Samuel "Steamboat" Johnson (March 26, 1880 – February 20, 1951) was a professional baseball umpire.

Steamboat Johnson
Johnson in 1920
Born
Harry Samuel Johnson

March 26, 1880
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
DiedFebruary 20, 1951 (aged 70)
Memphis, Tennessee
Resting placeMemphis, Tennessee
NationalityAmerican
OccupationMajor League Baseball umpire
Years active1914

Johnson, born in Pennsylvania in 1880, was a long-time umpire in the minor leagues[1] — including the Western League, Three-I League, and Southern Association[2] — who also umpired 66 games in the National League in 1914. He issued 11 ejections during that season, including New York Giants manager John McGraw twice in two days at the end of July.

Johnson's nickname came from a reporter for The Atlanta Georgian, who wrote, "None of us know where John D. Martin (president of the Southern Association) got this Umpire Johnson, but he has a voice like a Mississippi River steamboat. From now he is ‘Steamboat’ Johnson to Atlantans."[2] In 1923, Johnson declared a spring training game a forfeit against the Detroit Tigers, after player-manager Ty Cobb had been ejected by Johnson's fellow umpire but refused to leave the field.[3]

In 1935, Johnson published his memoirs, Standing the Gaff, which is considered a baseball classic.[1] He estimated that he had umpired over 4,000 games and made a million decisions.[2] Johnson never used tobacco or alcohol, and in later life opened an umpiring school.[2] He died in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1951 at age 70.

Works
  • Johnson, Harry (2005). Standing the Gaff: The Life and Hard Times of a Minor League Umpire (2nd ed.). University of Alabama Press. ISBN 978-0817352745.

See also

References
  1. "Steamboat Johnson". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  2. Nipper, Skip (January 3, 2014). ""Steamboat" Johnson: Umpire of Power and Authority". 262downright.com. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  3. Gould, James M. (April 8, 1923). "Cardinals Win From Detroit, 9-0, When Cobb Forfeits Game". St. Louis Star-Times. Retrieved August 30, 2017 – via newspapers.com.

Further reading
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