When the winning run crossed the plate in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, the New York Mets exploded into a white-and-blue frenzy around home, celebrating an improbable escape from near-certain defeat.
In the thick of that jubilant swarm was manager Davey Johnson, who reached the pile before many of his players.
Those unforgettable ’86 Mets — defined by swagger, defiance, and undeniable talent — wouldn’t have been the same without their 43-year-old skipper at the helm.
Davey Johnson, the fiery skipper who guided the 1986 New York Mets to a World Series championship, passed away Friday at the age of 82. According to longtime Mets public relations executive Jay Horwitz, Johnson’s wife, Susan, shared that he died in a Sarasota, Florida hospital following a long illness.
“His ability to empower players to express themselves while maintaining a strong commitment to excellence was truly inspiring,” Mets legend Darryl Strawberry wrote on Instagram, posting a photo of himself with Johnson and Dwight Gooden. “Davey’s legacy will forever be etched in the hearts of fans and players alike.”
Strawberry and Gooden, the youthful stars of that ’86 squad, became emblematic of both the promise and turbulence of that Mets era. For Johnson, the title was his third World Series crown, having previously won two as a player with the Baltimore Orioles.
A four-time All-Star second baseman, Johnson spent 13 seasons in the majors from 1965 to 1978 with the Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs. Along the way, he collected three Gold Gloves and a reputation as one of the best at his position. After his playing days, Johnson transitioned into managing, leading the Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Washington Nationals during a career that spanned from 1984 to 2013.
“Davey was a good man, close friend and a mentor,” former Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said in a text message. “A Hall of Fame caliber manager with a baseball mind ahead of his time.”
Davey Johnson was born on Jan. 30, 1943, in Orlando, Florida. As a player, he captured World Series titles with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 and 1970, and fittingly, he made the final out of the 1969 Fall Classic against the Mets — the very team he would later lead to glory. In 1973, he belted a career-high 43 home runs with the Atlanta Braves, joining Darrell Evans (41) and Hank Aaron (40) to form the first trio of teammates in MLB history to each top the 40-homer mark in a single season.
Johnson’s managerial career began with the Mets in the early 1980s, when he was still in his early 40s. His loose, player-friendly approach helped steer the raucous 1986 Mets to a championship, cementing his reputation as a manager who gave his players room to thrive. When the team’s fortunes dipped, Johnson was dismissed in 1990 — but his managing career was far from finished.
His time with the Cincinnati Reds ended in unusual fashion. Entering the 1995 season as a lame-duck skipper, Johnson knew owner Marge Schott had already decided that Ray Knight — who scored the game-winning run in the Mets’ iconic 1986 World Series Game 6 — would replace him the following year. Johnson nonetheless led the Reds to a division crown that season before moving on to manage the Orioles.