Jay Johnstone Forum

So bummed to hear this news. Jay was one of the great baseball characters of the '70s and a key member of Dodger pennant winners. Quite the prankster, he even appeared in one of the "Naked Gun" movies. My friends and I laughed ourselves silly as 11-year olds over his '71 Topps card, where his face is drenched with sweat. I got to meet him a few years ago at our local library where he was a guest speaker and signed a copy of his book for me. He will be missed.

RIP Jay Johnstone.  He19881  was a key player coming off the bench for the  1981 World Series Champion Dodgers.  He will be missed.

I am in my 60's and it is crazy how every other card that shows up in Memorium section is someone you watched growing up, collected his card, or had his player in a baseball simulation game. Memories come flooding back.

One of my favorite baseball stories involes Jay Johnstone.

On April 14, 1979, I was driving through Chicago on my way home to Iowa. Thought I would take a chance and see if there was a ballgame in town. Looked in the paper for the local schedule and the Yankees were scheduled for a game at Comiskey Park. Catfish Hunter was the schedued starter for New York. Being a Yankees fan, I was thrilled. I had never seen the Yankees live before. I had to get a ticket!

Ticket in hand, I ventured into the ballpark. Bought myself a program (I always keep score) and sat down in my assigned seat down the first base line. I watched batting and fielding practice. After the first two innings the Yankees were behind 5-0 and Catfish had been removed from the game. Frustrated, I stayed focused on the game........and........then........Courtesy of Jay Johnstone.... Yankees magic happened.

The New York Times said it best:
CHICAGO, April 14 — Fantasy gave way to reality for a near‐capacity crowd of 43,373 at Comiskey Park today when Jay Johnstone hit a pinch grandslam homer in the eighth inning that propelled the New York Yankees to an 8‐5 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Ron Guidry nailed down the victory with three pitches to the only batter he faced.

Guidry, appearing in relief for the first time in two years, replaced Dick Tidrow in the ninth with two men on and one out. He got Jorge Orta to ground into a double play started by Willie Randolph, the second baseman.

Wow! Catfish Hunter started the game. Ron Guidry ended it.And the Yankees won.

REST IN PEACE, JAY!
 

One of the last cards I needed to complete my 1984 Fleer set. RIP

Ex-Cub. Character. "Professional" hitter, as they say. It's weird how I remember certain cards. HIs 1972 and 1980 cards stick out to me immediately. R.I.P. 

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I read the Yahoo article on his passing, which said he had been in the hospital for dementia.  Jeez, he wasn't that old and Tom Seaver, just one year older, had dementia, too, WTH is going on?

I saw Jay play once in person, Phillies at Expos, 8/16/77.  I remember the score, but I had to look up the boxscore to see what he did ... two singles and one HBP in five plate appearances.  Phillies won 7-5 ... I expected a lot of runs when the starting pitchers were washed up Jim Kaat and mediocre Jackie Brown.  I recall two plays distinctly:  first, the Phillies brought in Warren Brusstar to relieve and The Hawk hit his first pitch over the left field wall, making the score 5-1 ... second, Davey Johnson came in to pinch hit and banged one into left field that Del Unser screwed up.  Generous scoring gave him a triple as the go-ahead runs crossed the plate.  I can also answer the question "Where were you the day Elvis died?"  Earlier in the day, my cousin announced the news, saying Elvis "kicked the bucket."  I had never heard that phrase before.

This was always a headscratcher for me:  how did Jay get to be the Angels representative in the Topps 1970 booklet set?  Yeah, he had his best year in 1969 with 10 HRs and .270 BA ... big frickin' deal.  I know the Angels stunk in '69, but they also had Fregosi, Messersmith and Reichardt.

I hope I come across Jay's book again.  It included his story on how he completely transformed as a hitter late into his career.  He made it sound like he didn't know what he was doing during 1966-1973 and with a .243 average, I agree.  Billy DeMars, the Phillies hitting coach, worked with him and I think some other guy straightened him out also, can't remember who.  He batted .286 during the next twelve seasons.

Jay got into a lot of post-season action late in his career.  I thought that included the 1984 Cubs, but no, the Cubs cut him on September 9.  I can't remember why ... on the surface, it makes no sense, he was hitting .288 and rosters get expanded in September.  I assume the reason is in his book.

What was that t.v. show that Johnstone hosted? I remember watching it as a kid. 

Are you thinking of Baseball Bunch? That was Johnny Bench

No, it was bloopers and other funny things about baseball. With a little research I think it was "Super Sports Follies ".