Former Reds Manager & Baseball Great Davey Johnson Dies at 82

DAVEY JOHNSON REDS — Source: Otto Greule Jr / Getty

Davey Johnson, a four-time All-Star second baseman and one of the most successful managers of his era, has died at 82. The Baltimore Orioles confirmed his passing Friday.

Johnson’s career in baseball stretched over five decades, first as a Gold Glove second baseman who helped the Orioles win two World Series titles, then as the manager who led the 1986 New York Mets to their last championship. The Florida native later managed the Cincinnati Reds from 1993 to 1995, where he stamped his place in team history as the last man to guide the Reds to a postseason series victory.

That moment came in 1995, when Barry Larkin’s MVP season carried Johnson’s club to a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series before falling to the eventual World Series champion Atlanta Braves.

Nearly 30 years later, the Reds have yet to win another playoff series.

In 17 big-league seasons with five different franchises, he posted a .562 winning percentage, won Manager of the Year awards in both leagues, and became known for empowering his players while demanding excellence.

Tributes have poured in since his death. Former Mets star Darryl Strawberry praised Johnson as a leader who “transformed the franchise into a winning organization,” while former Nationals slugger Ryan Zimmerman called him an even better man than manager.