Davey Johnson, the manager of the 1986 World Series champion New York Mets, has died at 82.
Johnson was a four-time All-Star as a player and won Manager of the Year honors in 1997 and 2012.
He managed five MLB teams: the Mets, Reds, Orioles, Dodgers, and Nationals.
Davey Johnson, a longtime player and Major League Baseball manager who led the New York Mets to the World Series title in 1986, has died at the age of 82.
Johnson, who played in the majors from 1965 to 1978 with the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs, was a four-time All-Star, earned three Gold Glove awards, and won two World Series as a second baseman with the Orioles.
He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals, earning Manager of the Year honors in 1997 and 2012. He finished with 1,372 career managerial wins and 25 postseason victories.
But Johnson’s time is best remembered for managing the talented and sometimes volatile personalities of the 1986 Mets, who won 108 games and beat the Boston Red Sox in an epic seven-game World Series battle.
‘I’m deeply saddened by the loss of Davey Johnson, a remarkable leader who transformed the Mets franchise into a winning organization,’ Darryl Strawberry, a member of the 1986 Mets, wrote on social media. ‘His ability to empower players to express themselves while maintaining a strong commitment to excellence was truly inspiring. Davey’s legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of fans and players alike. My heartfelt condolences go out to Susan Johnson and the entire Johnson family during this difficult time. He will be missed but remembered for his incredible impact on the game and the lives he touched. Love You Forever Davey Johnson.’
He was hired by the Mets in 1984, taking over a team that had finished 68–94 the previous year. He then went on an unprecedented run, becoming the first manager in Major League Baseball history to win 90 games or more in each of his first five seasons.
His 1997 Orioles team won 98 games, but they lost in six games in the American League Championship Series to the Cleveland Indians. He made the postseason one last time in 2012 with the Nationals, who won the NL East before they were eliminated in the Division Series by the St. Louis Cardinals.