Background
Johnson was born and raised in the village of Bellaire, Ohio, on the upper Ohio River.
Johnson was born and raised in the village of Bellaire, Ohio, on the upper Ohio River.
He played for many of the best teams from 1895 to 1920 and he crossed racial boundaries as a teacher and coach. In 1895, he debuted at the age of 17 with the Page Fence Giants, where he played short stop, left field, then first base, then moved to catcher where he stayed for most of his career. Most of the team moved to Chicago and formed the Chicago Columbia Giants in 1899.
There, Johnson often caught for George Wilson, and the two became a powerful battery for the baseball club
Previous to the 1906 season, Johnson traveled to Palm Beach, Florida and became head trainer for the Boston Red Sox. The Baseball color line excluded Johnson from playing in Major League Baseball games, but did not bar him from using his skills as a trainer.
In 1906, Johnson moved out East to catch for the Philadelphia Giants, and came back West in 1907 to manage the Saint Paul Colored Gophers for a few seasons. The Gophers went to Little Rock, Arkansas, playing Spring Training games with Major League Baseball teams.
By 1910, Johnson was reportedly the only catcher wearing shin guards, saying they make him "look like a big leaguer." Other catchers quickly followed.
Johnson last played for a major team in 1919 (the eve of the organized Negro Leagues), and continued as a manager through 1939, even managing teams using his name, such as the "Dayton Chappies" and the "Chappie Johnson Stars." He died at 72 in Clemson, South Carolina.