Arnie Johnson

{{Short description|American basketball player}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox NBA biography | name = Arnie Johnson | image = Arnie Johnson 1948.jpg | width = | caption = Johnson with the Rochester Royals in 1948 | birth_date = {{birth date|1920|05|16}} | birth_place = Gonvick, Minnesota, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2000|06|06|1920|05|16|mf=y}} | death_place = Rochester, New York, U.S. | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 5 | weight_lb = 236 | high_school = Gonvick (Gonvick, Minnesota) | college = Bemidji State (1938–1942) | career_start = 1946 | career_end = 1953 | career_position = Small forward | career_number = 17, 12 | years1 = 1946–{{nbay|1952|end}} | team1 = Rochester Royals | highlights = * NBA champion (1951) | stat1label = Points | stat1value = 2,888 | stat2label = Rebounds | stat2value = 1,272 | stat3label = Assists | stat3value = 731 | bbr = johnsar01 }}

'''Arnitz L. Johnson''' (May 16, 1920 – June 6, 2000) was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League (NBL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1946 to 1953. Johnson is the only basketball player from Bemidji State to play in the NBA.<ref name=friez>{{cite web |last1=Friez |first1=Micah |title=Unrivaled Royalty: Arnie Johnson, former Rochester Royal, still reigns as only BSU Beaver in NBA history |url=https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/4549891-unrivaled-royalty-arnie-johnson-former-rochester-royal-still-reigns-only-bsu-beaver-nba |website=The Bemidji Pioneer |accessdate=October 17, 2020 |date=December 30, 2018 |archive-date=February 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207015745/https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/4549891-unrivaled-royalty-arnie-johnson-former-rochester-royal-still-reigns-only-bsu-beaver-nba |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==Early life and college career== Johnson was born on May 16, 1920, in Gonvick, Minnesota. His father was an immigrant from Sweden. Johnson attended Gonvick High School, where he served as a captain on the basketball team and was a four-time letterwinner.<ref name=friez />

Johnson played college basketball for the Bemidji State Beavers (then Bemidji Teachers). He led the team to three consecutive Northern Teachers College Conference championships that led to berths in the NAIA Men's Basketball Championships.<ref name=friez />

Johnson served at Buckley Air Force Base during World War II and helped wounded soldiers during their rehabilitation.<ref name=friez />

==Professional career== In 1946, Johnson was playing at an Amateur Athletic Union tournament in Denver when he was spotted by Chuck Taylor, who told Rochester Royals coach and owner Les Harrison about Johnson.<ref name=friez /> Harrison sent Johnson money to travel for a tryout with the team.<ref name=friez /> Johnson played seven seasons (1946–1953) in the National Basketball League<ref>''Official NBA Encyclopedia''. Doubleday, 2000. pg. 566.</ref> and National Basketball Association as a member of the Rochester Royals. He averaged 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in his career and won a league championship in 1951.

In 2003, Monroe Community College in New York established the Arnold L. Johnson Endowed Memorial Scholarship for student athletes.<ref>[http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/finaid/PDFdoc/ScholarshipBrochure.pdf Monroe CC financial aid]</ref>

==BAA/NBA career statistics== {{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y}}

===Regular season=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;" |- ! Year ! Team ! GP ! MPG ! FG% ! FT% ! RPG ! APG ! PPG |- |style="text-align:left;"| 1948–49 | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 60 || – || .416 || .701 || – || 1.3 || 8.5 |- |style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1949}} | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 68 || – || .396 || .680 || – || 2.1 || 7.3 |- |style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| {{nbay|1950}}† | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 68 || – || '''.459''' || .725 || '''6.6''' || 2.6 || 9.4 |- |style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1951}} | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 66 || '''32.7''' || .433 || '''.778''' || 6.1 || '''2.8''' || '''10.0''' |- |style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|1952}} | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | '''70''' || 28.3 || .379 || .748 || 6.0 || 2.2 || 8.3 |- |style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career | 332 || 30.5 || .418 || .731 || 6.2 || 2.2 || 8.7 |- |} ===Playoffs=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;" |- ! Year ! Team ! GP ! MPG ! FG% ! FT% ! RPG ! APG ! PPG |- |style="text-align:left;"| 1949 | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 4 || – || .268 || .727 || – || 1.8 || 9.5 |- |style="text-align:left;"| 1950 | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 2 || – || '''.500''' || .667 || – || 2.5 || 10.0 |- |style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"| 1951† | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | '''14''' || – || .449 || '''.782''' || '''9.0''' || 2.9 || '''11.2''' |- |style="text-align:left;"| 1952 | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 6 || 27.7 || .296 || .719 || 5.2 || '''4.0''' || 6.5 |- |style="text-align:left;"| 1953 | style="text-align:left;"| Rochester | 3 || '''29.0''' || .286 || .762 || 6.0 || 2.0 || 8.0 |- |style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career | 29 || 28.1 || .383 || .752 || 7.6 || 2.8 || 9.6 |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{basketball stats}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Arnie}} Category:1920 births Category:2000 deaths Category:American men's basketball players Category:American people of Swedish descent Category:Basketball players from Minnesota Category:Bemidji State Beavers men's basketball players Category:People from Clearwater County, Minnesota Category:Rochester Royals players Category:Small forwards Category:20th-century American sportsmen