On Saturday, former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson, who led them to the 1986 World Series, passed away at 82, per SNYtv.
Johnson was the manager of the Mets from 1984 to 1990. In 1986, he was at the helm when the Mets famously defeated the Boston Red Sox in seven games to win the World Series.
A team comprised of Gary Carter, Ray Knight, Darryl Strawberry, and Dwight Gooden. The Mets went onto to win 108 games in a season for the ages.
After defeating the Houston Astros in the NLCS, the Mets faced the Red Sox. In Game 6, the Red Sox were one out away before the Mets mustered up a comeback.
Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball through the legs of Red Sox 1B Bill Buckner to bring Ray Knight home. The next night, the Mets won the title.
Additionally, Johnson went on to have the highest winning percentage in Mets history with .588.
Before that, Johnson played for 13 seasons. He played for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs.
Twice, he won the World Series as a player with the Orioles in 1966 and 1971. Furthermore, Johnson became a four-time All-Star.
Later on, Johnson went on to manage the Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, and Washington Nationals. Altogether, he garnered 1,372 wins as a manager.
Additionally, he managed the U.S. team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
The greatest legacy of Davey Johnson
Without question, Johnson's greatest impact will be what had transpired in 1986. However, there was so much more to him.
During his time, Johnson was able to develop and nurture young burgeoning talent. Among those include the duo of Strawberry and Gooden.
Also, Johnson was ahead of his time in using analytics. His use of computer data to understand player positioning and strategy led him to be nicknamed “The Cobra”.
Johnson was known for his direct communication with his players. Although his tenure with the Mets ended bitterly in 1990 due to friction with GM Frank Cashen, he will forever be synonymous with them.
Johnson is survived by his wife Susan.
