# Spud Johnson

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spud_Johnson.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spud_Johnson
> Source revision: 1331388763
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|American baseball player (1856–1928)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name               = Spud Johnson
| position           = [Outfielder](/source/Outfielder)
| image              = Spud Johnson.jpg
| bats               = Left
| throws             = Left
| birth_date         = December 1856
| birth_place        = Canada
| death_date         = February 1928
| death_place        = [Chicago](/source/Chicago), Illinois, U.S.
| debutleague        = MLB
| debutdate          = April 18
| debutyear          = 1889
| debutteam          = Columbus Solons
| finalleague        = MLB
| finaldate          = August 8
| finalyear          = 1891
| finalteam          = Cleveland Spiders
| statleague         = MLB
| stat1label         = [Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
| stat1value         = .302
| stat2label         = [Home run](/source/Home_run)s
| stat2value         = 4
| stat3label         = [Runs batted in](/source/Runs_batted_in)
| stat3value         = 238
| teams              = * [Columbus Solons](/source/Columbus_Solons) ({{baseball year|1889}}–{{baseball year|1890}})
* [Cleveland Spiders](/source/Cleveland_Spiders) ({{baseball year|1891}})
| highlights         = * [American Association](/source/American_Association_(19th_century)) [RBI champion](/source/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_annual_runs_batted_in_leaders): 1890
}}
'''James Ralph''' "'''Spud'''" '''Johnson''' (December 1856 – February 1928)<ref>{{cite web |last=Morris |first=Peter |date=April 27, 2020 |title=RBI champion died in obscurity |url=https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/ralph-spud-johnson-3167378e5ace |access-date=21 December 2020 |website=Our Game |publisher=MLB}}</ref> was a 19th-century Canadian [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) player for three seasons, two for the [Columbus Solons](/source/Columbus_Solons) of the [American Association](/source/American_Association_(19th_century)) and one season for the [Cleveland Spiders](/source/Cleveland_Spiders) of the [National League](/source/National_League_(baseball)).<ref name="retrosheet">{{cite web |title=Spud Johnson's stats |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/J/Pjohns104.htm |access-date=2008-01-04 |work=retrosheet.org}}</ref> Johnson played mainly in the [outfield](/source/outfielder) during his career, but played the [third base](/source/third_base) position in his [rookie](/source/rookie) season of {{Baseball year|1889}}.<ref name="retrosheet"/>

==Career==

Johnson was signed by the Solons on January 15, 1889, when after the {{Baseball year|1888}} season the Kansas City team of the Western Association folded and was sold to the [Kansas City](/source/Kansas_City_Cowboys_(American_Association)) team of the American Association. A dispute quickly surfaced between the two teams about Johnson and his rights. On March 19, Columbus settled the dispute by paying Kansas City $500.<ref name="chrono1889">{{cite web |title=1889 Chronology |url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/byyear.php?year=1889 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920143320/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/chronology/byyear.php?year=1889 |archive-date=2015-09-20 |access-date=2008-01-04 |work=baseballlibrary.com}}</ref> His best season came in {{Baseball year|1890}} when he led the Association in [runs batted in](/source/runs_batted_in) with 113, while finishing in the top five in most offensive categories including his .346 [batting average](/source/batting_average_(baseball)), 18 [triples](/source/triple_(baseball)), and 186 [hits](/source/hit_(baseball)).<ref name="reference">{{cite web |title=Spud Johnson's stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/j/johnssp01.shtml |access-date=2008-01-04 |work=baseball-reference.com}}</ref>

In 381 games over three seasons, Johnson posted a .302 [batting average](/source/batting_average_(baseball)) (400-for-1,324) with 246 [runs](/source/run_(baseball)), 4 [home run](/source/home_run)s, 238 [RBI](/source/Run_batted_in) and 93 [stolen base](/source/stolen_base)s.<ref name="reference"/>

Nothing much is known of his whereabouts after he left organized baseball.

==See also==
* [List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders](/source/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_annual_runs_batted_in_leaders)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=j/johnssp01 |fangraphs= |cube=|brm=johnso001spu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Spud}}
Category:1856 births
Category:19th-century baseball players
Category:19th-century American sportsmen
Category:Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States
Category:Columbus Solons players
Category:Cleveland Spiders players
Category:Year of death missing
Category:Major League Baseball players from Canada
Category:Major League Baseball outfielders
Category:Topeka (minor league baseball) players
Category:Kansas City Blues (baseball) players
Category:Rochester Flour Cities players

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spud Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spud_Johnson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spud_Johnson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.