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Harold "Speed" Johnson was a professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in the Negro leagues during the 1930s and 1940s. He was born on August 27, 1913, in Crossett, Arkansas.
Johnson began his baseball career in 1935 with the Pittsburgh Crawfords, one of the most successful teams in the Negro leagues. He quickly became known for his exceptional speed
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Harold "Speed" Johnson was a professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in the Negro leagues during the 1930s and 1940s. He was born on August 27, 1913, in Crossett, Arkansas.
Johnson began his baseball career in 1935 with the Pittsburgh Crawfords, one of the most successful teams in the Negro leagues. He quickly became known for his exceptional speed and base-running skills, which earned him his nickname, "Speed." Johnson played with the Crawfords until 1939, when he was traded to the Homestead Grays, another prominent team in the Negro leagues.
During his time with the Grays, Johnson continued to impress with his speed and agility on the field. He played a key role in the team's success, helping them win two Negro National League championships in 1942 and 1943. Johnson also had a reputation as a clutch hitter, with a career batting average of .309.
In 1944, Johnson was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in World War II. He returned to baseball in 1946 and played for several teams in the Negro leagues, including the Birmingham Black Barons and the Indianapolis Clowns. He retired from professional baseball in 1951.
After his baseball career, Johnson worked as a civil servant for the city of Pittsburgh. He also remained involved in baseball, coaching and mentoring young players. Johnson was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2006.
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Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of...
/ Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of the major league players for that particular year.
This annual publication was available through the mail and at most major league stadiums. Its decline in popularity is said to be a result of the competition from team yearbooks.
Who's Who covers generally contain photos of the top four stars of the previous year. Each edition featured photos and sketches of sports team top twenty players. A world champion photo usually appeared on the back cover of Who's Who in Major League Baseball while the other league champions appeared on the front cover.
Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of...
/ Who's Who in Major League Baseball is a statistician's dream because it featured the major and minor league statistics of the major league players for that particular year.
This annual publication was available through the mail and at most major league stadiums. Its decline in popularity is said to be a result of the competition from team yearbooks.
Who's Who covers generally contain photos of the top four stars of the previous year. Each edition featured photos and sketches of sports team top twenty players. A world champion photo usually appeared on the back cover of Who's Who in Major League Baseball while the other league champions appeared on the front cover.