Former Mets World Series Winning Skipper Davey Johnson Passes Away

 Former New York Mets World Series winning manager Davey Johnson passed away on Friday night. He was 82. 

Called the greatest manager he ever played for by Darryl Strawberry, Johnson was a larger than life figure of the Mets 80s teams. The man who found a way to get a group of some of the most colorful (both on and off the field) ball players to play as one of the best teams in baseball history: the 1986 New York Mets. 

 Johnson was hired by the Mets in 1981 to coach in their minor league system. By 1984 he had earned the top job as Mets skipper at the Major League level. He would go on to manage the Amazin's for six-plus years until his firing in the middle of the 1990 season. 

His 595 career regular season wins remain the best Mets history among managers. 

Current Mets owner Steve Cohen credited Johnson with leading with a quiet confidence and an unwavering belief in his teams. 

“Davey Johnson was the greatest manager I ever played for. He let us do our own thing. This is a sad day for the Mets and for the 1986 Mets family.” — Darryl Strawberry

“Without a doubt he saved my career. He let me be myself on the field. He knew when to be tough and when to take it easier. It was a joy playing for him.” — Keith Hernandez. 

 As a player, Johnson was a four-time All-Star, enjoying 13-years of service in the Big Leagues, including eight years with the Baltimore Orioles. He was a member of the O's World Series title teams in 1966 and 1970, and ironcially, was with the Orioles when they lost to the Mets in the 1969 World Series. 

After leaving the Mets in 1990, Johnson would manage four other clubs: the Cincinnati Reds from 1993-1994; The Baltimore Orioles from 1996-1997, the L.A. Dodgers from 1999-2000, and the Washington Nationals from 2011-2013. 

He is a member of both the Mets and Orioles' Hall of Fame.