Ronny Johnson should not be confused with Ronny Jackson.
| Ronny Johnson | |
| Birth Date: | 8 November 1962 |
| Birth Place: | San Jose, California, United States |
| Teams: | |
| Position: | Pitcher / First baseman |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Awards: | |
Ronny George Johnson (born November 8, 1962) is an American-Australian former professional baseball player and Olympic competitor. Listed at 6inchesft5inchesin (ftin) and 190lb during his professional career, he threw and batted right-handed. He is an inductee of the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame.
Johnson played high school baseball in Canyon Country, California, as a pitcher and right fielder.[1] In 1981, Johnson played college baseball for Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, where he pitched in 11 games (six starts), recording a 2–5 win–loss record with a 4.05 earned run average (ERA) and one save. He also appeared in 24 games as a designated hitter, accruing a .265 batting average with five home runs and 20 runs batted in (RBIs).[2] He was selected in the second round of the January 1982 winter MLB draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.[3] [4] He signed with the Blue Jays organization in May 1982.[5]
Johnson played in Minor League Baseball from 1982 to 1985, for farm teams of the Blue Jays and Texas Rangers.[4] He pitched in 65 games (27 starts) compiling a 13–15 record with 4.52 ERA while striking out 159 batters in 229 innings pitched.[4] He did not play above the Single-A level.[4]
Johnson subsequently played professional baseball in Australia from 1989 to 1999. He competed for the Australia national baseball team in the 1998 Baseball World Cup, held in Italy.[6] At age 37, Johnson competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics for Australia, appearing in six games as a first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter.[7] During the Olympic baseball tournament, the Australian team compiled a 2–5 record, finishing seventh in the field of eight teams. Johnson was inducted to the Baseball Australia Hall of Fame in 2005.[8]