Johnny Damon (Johnny David Damon) was born on November 5, 1973 in Fort Riley, Kansas. He made his Major League debut on August 12, 1995 for the Kansas City Royals. In 1995, his rookie year, he hit .282 with 3 home runs and 23 RBI. Damon played for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees over the course of his 12 year career.
Most people believe that Johnny Damon's best season was 2000, when he slugged 16 home runs, stole 46 bases, hit for a .327 average and knocked in 88 runs.
Scouting Report[]
Statistics[]
Batting Stats[]
Year
Team
G
AB
R
H
HR
RBI
AVG
OBP
SLG
2B
3B
BB
SO
HBP
SH
SB
IBB
GDP
1995
KC
A
47
188
32
53
3
23
.282
.324
.441
11
5
12
22
1
2
7
0
2
1996
KC
A
145
517
61
140
6
50
.271
.313
.368
22
5
31
64
3
10
25
3
4
1997
KC
A
146
472
70
130
8
48
.275
.338
.386
12
8
42
70
3
6
16
2
3
1998
KC
A
161
642
104
178
18
66
.277
.339
.439
30
10
58
84
4
3
26
4
4
1999
KC
A
145
583
101
179
14
77
.307
.379
.477
39
9
67
50
3
3
36
5
13
2000
KC
A
159
655
136
214
16
88
.327
.382
.495
42
10
65
60
1
8
46
4
7
2001
OAK
A
155
644
108
165
9
49
.256
.324
.363
34
4
61
70
5
5
27
1
7
2002
BOS
A
154
623
118
178
14
63
.286
.356
.443
34
11
65
70
6
3
31
5
4
2003
BOS
A
145
608
103
166
12
67
.273
.345
.405
32
6
68
74
2
6
30
4
5
2004
BOS
A
150
621
123
189
20
94
.304
.380
.477
35
6
76
71
2
0
19
1
8
2005
BOS
A
148
624
117
197
10
75
.316
.366
.439
35
6
53
69
2
0
18
3
5
2006
NYY
A
149
593
115
169
24
80
.285
.359
.482
35
5
67
85
4
2
25
1
4
2007
NYY
A
141
533
93
144
12
63
.270
.351
.396
27
2
66
79
2
1
27
1
4
Total
1845
7303
1281
2102
166
843
.288
.353
.433
388
87
731
868
38
49
333
34
70
Fielding Stats[]
Year
Team
POS
G
GS
INN
PO
A
ERR
DP
TP
PB
SB
CS
PkO
AVG
1995
KC
A
CF
44
40
369.1
102
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
.990
1995
KC
A
RF
4
3
27.1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
1995
KC
A
OF
47
43
396.2
110
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
.991
1996
KC
A
DH
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
1996
KC
A
CF
89
75
669
205
3
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
.986
1996
KC
A
RF
63
57
515.2
144
2
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
.980
1996
KC
A
OF
144
132
1184.2
350
5
6
4
0
0
0
0
0
.983
1997
KC
A
LF
48
32
311.1
69
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
.986
1997
KC
A
OF
136
118
1095
322
5
4
3
0
0
0
0
0
.988
1997
KC
A
RF
47
35
303.1
98
4
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
.990
1997
KC
A
CF
65
51
480.1
154
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
.987
1997
KC
A
DH
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
1998
KC
A
OF
158
151
1354.1
372
10
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
.990
1998
KC
A
LF
14
2
43
13
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
1998
KC
A
CF
130
127
1123.1
314
9
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
.994
1998
KC
A
RF
24
22
188
42
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
.956
1999
KC
A
CF
8
6
55
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
1999
KC
A
OF
140
140
1227.2
301
8
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
.987
1999
KC
A
DH
4
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
1999
KC
A
LF
132
131
1148.2
287
7
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
.987
1999
KC
A
RF
3
3
24
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2000
KC
A
OF
133
132
1149.2
332
6
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
.985
2000
KC
A
DH
25
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2000
KC
A
CF
69
67
579.2
184
4
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
.989
2000
KC
A
LF
67
65
570
148
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
.980
2001
OAK
A
LF
67
64
562
131
1
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
.978
2001
OAK
A
OF
154
152
1350.1
345
4
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
.991
2001
OAK
A
RF
5
4
44
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2001
OAK
A
CF
86
84
744.1
209
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2002
BOS
A
CF
151
150
1319
349
7
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
.997
2002
BOS
A
DH
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2002
BOS
A
OF
151
150
1319
349
7
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
.997
2003
BOS
A
CF
144
141
1265
361
7
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
.997
2003
BOS
A
DH
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2003
BOS
A
OF
144
141
1265
362
7
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
.997
2004
BOS
A
CF
148
145
1256.1
349
4
5
2
0
0
0
0
0
.986
2004
BOS
A
DH
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2004
BOS
A
OF
148
145
1256.1
349
5
5
2
0
0
0
0
0
.986
2005
BOS
A
OF
147
144
1225
394
5
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
.985
2005
BOS
A
CF
147
144
1225
394
5
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
.985
2005
BOS
A
DH
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2006
NY
A
OF
131
129
1086.2
306
3
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
.990
2006
NY
A
1B
1
0
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2006
NY
A
CF
131
129
1086.2
306
3
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
.990
2006
NY
A
DH
16
15
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2007
NY
A
OF
81
76
651
193
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
.990
2007
NY
A
48
45
377
121
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
2007
NY
A
DH
48
47
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
2007
NY
A
LF
32
31
271
71
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
.973
2007
NY
A
1B
5
0
8.1
9
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
.900
2007
NY
A
RF
1
0
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.000
Total
DH
103
94
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
.000
Total
RF
147
124
1105.1
302
9
6
4
0
0
0
0
0
.981
Total
1B
6
0
10.1
12
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
.923
Total
LF
360
325
2906
719
12
13
1
0
0
0
0
0
.983
Total
CF
1260
1204
10550
3058
46
26
12
0
0
0
0
0
.992
Total
OF
1714
1653
14561.1
4085
68
45
17
0
0
0
0
0
.989
Transactions[]
Selected by Kansas City Royals in the 1st round (35th pick overall) of the free-agent draft (June 1, 1992 - signed June 23, 1992).
Traded by Kansas City Royals with Mark Ellis to Oakland Athletics as part of 3-team trade in which Tampa Bay Devil Rays sent Roberto Hernandez to Kansas City Royals; Tampa Bay Devil Rays sent Cory Lidle to Oakland Athletics; Oakland Athletics sent Ben Grieve to Tampa Bay Devil Rays; and Oakland Athletics sent Angel Berroa and A.J. Hinch to Kansas City Royals (January 8, 2001).
Granted free agency (November 5, 2001).
Signed by Boston Red Sox (December 21, 2001).
Granted free agency (October 28, 2005).
Signed by New York Yankees (January 3, 2006).
Trivia[]
Damon holds the record for the most RBIs in one postseason game.
In that game, he hit 2 home runs, including a grand slam in the 2nd inning, to help the Boston Red Sox become the first team in major league history (and just the third in the history of North American pro sports) to overcome a 3-0 postseason series deficit, in a 10-3 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 7.
Damon gained some notoriety for the prominent beard and long, uncut hairstyle he brought with him to spring training in the 2004 season, contrasting with his previously clean-cut appearance. His long hair and beard actually came from an unlikely cause - his head on collision with Damian Jackson in Game 5 of the 2003 American League Division Series. Damon laid on the field unconscious for approximately five minutes. When he came to, Damon was completely disoriented, believing that he was still playing for his old team, the Oakland Athletics. The headaches came to disrupt his life to such a degree, that he stopped shaving and having his hair cut. So by the beginning of the 2004 season, he had an uncharacteristic big bushy beard and shoulder length hair.
On April 21, 2004, Johnny shaved his beard in a charity event sponsored by the Gillette razor company. The proceeds from the event went to benefit literacy programs in conjunction with the Boston Public Library. He regrew the beard and it remained for the rest of the season.
In 2005, Damon wrote "Idiot: Beating "The Curse" and Enjoying the Game of Life" with Peter Golenbock.
He also appeared on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" in April during a series against the Yankees. On June 7, he appeared on the hit Bravo TV series "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" with four of his Red Sox teammates (Jason Varitek, Kevin Millar, Doug Mirabelli, and Tim Wakefield).
Damon married his high school sweetheart, Angela Vannice, when he was 19. They were married from 1992 to 2002. They had twins together, Madelyn and Jackson, born April 22, 1999.[14] Damon married Michelle Mangan on December 30, 2004. On January 4, 2007, Mangan gave birth to Damon's third child and her first, Devon Rose, in Orlando, Florida. Damon & his family reside in Windermere, Florida.
As a part of his exercise routine, Johnny admits to pursuing cars from one end of his block to the other on foot. "I live on a street (in the Orlando area) where the speed limit is 25 miles an hour and the police enforce it. At night, I'd wait out there and when a car came by I would race the car home, so I think I can go at least 25 miles an hour. I scared some of the people, seeing a caveman racing after cars," said Damon in a Providence newspaper article early in 2004.
Other exercises he used to do that might be considered weird are doing naked pullups, and climbing up trees as fast as he could while staying there until people got worried and didn't know he was up there. "Most of the time, he would come down because no one was looking for me," Damon said on "The Late Show with David Letterman".
Damon also made a cameo appearance on TNA Wrestling Match in Orlando, Florida on December 11, 2005 when Damon gave the home plate to Chicago White Sox Catcher A.J. Pierzynski in order to hit Simon Diamond to win the match.