Davey Johnson, the last manager to lead the Mets to a World Series title, dies

The baseball world, particularly the New York Mets fanbase, is mourning the death of Davey Johnson, the last man to lead the franchise to a World Series title almost four decades ago. The former star second baseman, who also won a World Series as a player during his time with the Orioles, died at the age of 82, according to Jay Horwitz, a longtime friend of Johnson and the Mets’ longtime public relations representative.

“I am glad I was able to say goodbye in person last February. Susan, the wife of Davey Johnson, told me that my dear friend and manager of our 1986 World Series champion team has passed away at the age of 82,” Horwitz wrote on X on Saturday.

A four-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and one of the most consistently productive players in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Johnson left his mark on four organizations as a player: the Orioles, Braves, Phillies and Cubs. With these teams he had 1,252 hits in 13 seasons, with 609 RBIs, 136 home runs and a .744 lifetime OPS. In addition, he always stood out for his defensive reliability, with a .981 fielding average in more than 7,300 innings.

After his retirement in 1978, he did not take long to assume the position of manager in the Major Leagues. His debut from the command bridges came in 1984 with the Mets, who gave him the opportunity and did not regret it. In six full seasons until 1989, he always had a winning record, with a high of 108 wins in 1986, when they won the World Series title in a memorable duel against the Boston Red Sox.

In 1988, he repeated the 100 wins in the regular season, but lost in the battle for the pennant of the National League against the Dodgers of Tom Lasorda, Orel Hersheiser, Kirk Gibson and company, who went on to become champions. In total, Davey Johnson had a record of 595 wins and 417 losses (a .588 average), the best numbers of any manager in Mets history.

“I deeply mourn the loss of an extraordinary leader who transformed the Mets franchise into a winning organization. His ability to empower players to express themselves while maintaining a firm commitment to excellence was truly inspiring,” said Darryl Strawberry, one of the most prominent New York players during Johnson’s tenure in Queens.

“His legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of fans and players. My deepest condolences to Susan Johnson and the entire Johnson family at this difficult time. We will miss him, but we will remember him for his incredible impact on the sport and the lives he touched,” Strawberry added in a message via Instagram.

Davey Johnson’s impact goes beyond the Mets, as he managed five other teams and achieved a winning record with all of them:

Cincinnati Reds (three seasons: 204 wins-172 losses)
Baltimore Orioles (two seasons: 186-138)
Los Angeles Dodgers (two seasons: 163-161)
Washington Nationals (three seasons: 224-183)

Who has won the World Series as players and managers?

Another of Davey Johnson’s great achievements was to be crowned as a player and as a manager. During his active career, he was one of the regulars for the Orioles who won the 1966 and 1970 titles. Then, in 1986, he led the Mets to the second World Series in their history and the last for the franchise, which has been trying for 39 years to repeat that triumph

Not many have managed to climb to the top as players and managers. Here is the full list: