Walter Johnson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Johnson was the second of six children born to Frank Edwin Johnson and Minnie Olive Perry on a rural farm near Humboldt, Kansas. His ancestors came from the British Isles. After his family moved to California, he attended Fullerton Union High School, where he struck out 27 batters in a 15-inning game. He later moved to Idaho, where he pitched for a team in Weiser of the Idaho State League and was signed by the Washington Senators in July 1907.

In Their Own Story

The 2006 season cemented Johnson's legacy as a volume carrier who defied fatigue. He rushed for 1,789 yards on an NFL-record 416 carries, finishing second in the league while helping the Chiefs reach the playoffs with a 9–7 record. His dominance came at a cost; the following year, a holdout over contract negotiations delayed his training camp arrival until late July, resulting in fines of $14,000 per day before he signed a six-year, $45 million extension. But off-field drama soon overshadowed on-field success. In 2008, he was suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the personal conduct policy after being charged with simple assault for allegedly spitting in a woman's face. The suspension cost him one game check ($147,000). By October 2009, his Twitter comments using gay slurs and belittling fans led to a team suspension of $300,000. Just days before he was scheduled to return on November 9, the Chiefs waived him, ending a tenure that included becoming the franchise's all-time leading rusher.

Reader's Guide

Johnson is generally regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. He remains the all-time career leader in shutouts with 110, second in wins with 417, and fourth in complete games with 531. He held the career strikeout record from 1919 until 1983. He was the first pitcher to record 3,000 strikeouts. He led the league in strikeouts for 12 total seasons, 8 of which were consecutive. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record more than 400 wins and strike out more than 3,500 batters. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 as one of its first five inaugural members.

Did You Know?

• Johnson's fastball was recorded at 91 miles per hour in 1917.
• He pitched 55⅔ consecutive scoreless innings in 1913, which stood as the MLB record for 55 years.
• He won the American League Most Valuable Player Award twice, in 1913 and 1924.
• Johnson had a career batting average of .235 and hit 23 home runs as a pitcher.