Bio: Johnson, Lee (Baseball Contract - 1934)

Contact: betty@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Johnson, Hunter, Stockdale

----- Source: Greenwood Gleaner (Greenwood, Clark Co., Wis.) 06/21/1934

RED SOCKS SIGN LEE JOHNSON

Lee Johnson, first baseman of the Summerfield Chevrolet baseball team, has been signed by the Boston Red Sox and before the summer is gone, will probably be playing in organized ball.  Boston send Fred Hunter, one of its scouts, here to watch Lee perform last Sunday and Hunter got Lee’s name on a contract yesterday.

The Boston scout frankly declared to Ben Stockdale, manager of the Summerfield team and a close personal friend, the youngster had great possibilities.  He said he expected Boston would pick him up before the close of the season and send him to Reading, of the New York-Pennsylvania league, a Class A Boston Farm.

Johnson, a son of Oscar Johnson, who is remembered by baseball fans as an outstanding Central Michigan league hurler nearly a decade ago, graduated from Athern High school in 1932.  He was a four-sport star, winning letters, three in basketball, three in football and two in track.

Lee played his first full season of league ball last year as a member of the Summerfield team in the Flint Amateur Baseball federation and this season was his initial venture in the semi-pro field.  He finished last season with a .301 batting average and fielded .972.

Both his hitting and fielding have improve this season, his play around first base providing the highlights of several Summerfield victories.

Lee Johnson is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Johnson, former residents of this City.