The front: Johnstone smiles big at Shea Stadium.
The back: His career dates back to 1966; no room for anything else.
The player: Jay Johnstone was a semi-regular outfielder for eight teams over a 20-year career. In only two seasons did he reach 400 at-bats. Overall in 1,748 games he hit .267 with 102 HR and 531 RBI.
The man: Johnstone was much more well-known for his pranks than his playing ability. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda was Johnstone's favorite target. Johnstone played up the clown persona after his career with three books about his crazy antics and hosting a sports bloopers show. He also did some regular announcing for the Yankees and Phillies. He died from COVID-19 in 2020.
My collection: I have 35 of his cards, from 1967 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #43.
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ReplyDeleteI mainly remember Johnstone for these 4 things:
ReplyDelete1. 80's Dodgers
2. 1984 Fleer Card
3. his pranks
4. that smile (he has a few cards that feature it)