YORKTON - Mike Johnson might not exactly be a household name in sports, but if you are a follower of baseball in Canada, the name will likely ring a bell.
Born and raised in the Edmonton area, Johnson was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. His professional career spanned 17 years and included five seasons in the MLB with the Baltimore Orioles and the Montreal Expos, and stops overseas in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Considering even that brief look at his career, it’s not surprising when the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame announced its class of 2023, Johnson was among those name.
“It was, and is, a big honour to go into the hall of fame,” he told Yorkton This Week.
Johnson said a player never thinks about such honours when playing, or upon retirement, but when the call came it was immediately special.
“Alberta pumps out a ton of athletes,” he noted, so when the selection committee begins its work, Johnson said they have numerous worthy candidates across many sport. He said he’s just pleased he was selected for his career in baseball, which he noted was a long one.
“Obviously I’m proud of my career, and what I was able to accomplish,” he said, adding for any athlete the focus is “. . . to be as successful as you can.”
Johnson pitched in 81 MLB games, all but 14 of those with the Expos, with a 7-14 records, two saves and a lifetime 6.85 ERA.
While no one will mistake those for great numbers, go back in your mind to 1993 when he was drafted and consider how rare Canadian pitchers in the majors were. Add in the fact Johnson has ties to the two Canadian teams which existed back then, drafted by the Blue Jays and spending the bulk of his career in Montreal, and you recognize he had a significant career as a Canadian player.
“Getting drafted by Toronto was pretty special. They were kind of the hometown team . . . It’s still something I look back on fondly,” said Johnson, adding he grew up a Jays fans because they were on television far more often than the Expos.
When asked what he looks back on in terms of career highlights, Johnson said he really sees his baseball journey as having been carried on over three phases.
In terms of his time in the majors, the game that sticks out was playing in Yankee Stadium with Baltimore. It was a day to honour Don Mattingly and the place was packed with 50,000 fans, and he was pitching to the likes of Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams.
The next phase was his time playing in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Johnson said in his final season in Taiwan he went 20-2 and was named league MVP.
“That was definitely a highlight,” he said.
Johnson looks at his time playing for Canada internationally as a third phase in his career.
“Playing in two Olympics, and coming so close in ’04 losing the bronze medal game,” he said was a sharp memory albeit disappointing too.
Johnson did win a Pan Am gold medal with Team Canada in 2011.
And there was pitching for Canada in the World Baseball Classic starting against Team USA in Toronto in 2009 that stands out too.
Now Johnson remains active in baseball, having moved into coaching upon retiring.
“I transitioned right into coaching,” he related.
Johnson said he quickly found out he enjoyed the “opportunity to share my knowledge and experience and passion for the game,” with younger players.
As a coach Johnson is also back repping his country, being part of the Junior National Team for several years, and most recently as part of the staff for Team Canada at the recent WBSC Americas Pan Am Qualifier in men’s baseball.
