Jay Johnstone, a 20-year MLB veteran best remembered for being a clubhouse jester and prankster, died yesterday of COVID-19. In recent years, Johnstone had also been battling dementia. He was 74.
Johnstone was signed by the California Angels in 1963 straight out of high school and made his MLB debut with the Angels in 1966. By 1969, Johnstone would become an everyday player in the Angels' outfield. But the Angels would trade Johnstone to the Chicago White Sox following the 1970 season. After hitting a career high 16 HRs for the Chisox in 1971, he would hit a career low .188 in 1972 and would be released. He fared little better for the Oakland A's in 1973 hitting only .107 for the World Series champions.
His fortunes would improve after joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 1974. Johnstone batted over .300 in 1975 and 1976. During the 1976 NLCS, despite being swept by the Big Red Machine, Johnstone went 7 for 9. In 1977, Johnstone drove in a career high 59 runs as the Phillies won a second straight NL East title.
During the 1978 season, the Phillies traded Johnstone to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Rawley Eastwick. Johnstone would earn a World Series ring in the Bronx Zoo. The Yankees would trade Johnstone to the San Diego Padres mid-way through the 1979 season. Prior the the 1980 season, Johnstone would sign as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Johnstone long had a reputation as a clubhouse prankster particularly with giving teammates hot foots. But Johnstone took particular pleasure in ribbing Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda whether it was locking him in his office or recruiting teammates Jerry Reuss and Don Stanhouse to dress up as the grounds crew and work the infield during the game.
But Johnstone would pay dividends in the 1981 World Series against the Yankees. In Game 4 of the Series, with the Dodgers down 2-1, Johnstone slammed a pinch hit 2-run HR off Yankees' reliever Ron Davis which rallied the Dodgers to tie the Fall Classic and win the next two games to clinch their first World Series title since 1965 and earn Johnstone a second World Series ring in four years.
After being released by the Dodgers in early in the 1982 season, Johnstone was picked up by the Chicago Cubs where he would play for the next two and half seasons and would be part of the 1984 that would win the NL East and make its first post-season appearance in nearly 40 years. In 1985, Johnstone returned to the Dodgers to finish his playing career. In 1748 MLB games, Johnstone collected 1254 hits for a lifetime batting average of .267 with 102 HR and 531 RBI.
Following his playing career, Johnstone did some broadcasting work for both the Phillies and Yankees as well as ESPN where he covered, of all things, putt putt golf and wrote several books (Temporary Insanity, Over the Edge and Some of My Best Friends are Crazy) all of which I enjoyed reading.
I leave you with one of Johnstone's pranks when he interviewed Jesse Barfield while he was with the Yankees circa 1989-1990. It makes me wonder if Johnstone brought a microphone to the pearly gates. R.I.P.
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