negroleagueshistory.com
Grant “Home Run” Johnson was a right-handed slugging shortstop from the dead ball era, the most well-known shortstop before John Henry Lloyd.
“There are a number of requisites that a player should possess to be a first-class hitter, but in my opinion, two of the greatest and most essential ones are confidence and fearlessness.”
Grant (Home Run) Johnson, quoted in Sol White’s Official Baseball Guide
Johnson’s career spanned from 1895-1916, playing on some of the better teams of his era. He played with the Cuban X-Giants, Philadelphia Giants, and Brooklyn Royal Giants before joining Rube Foster’s Leland Giants. While playing with the Leland Giants, and later with the Lincoln Giants, he slid over to second base playing with Lloyd at shortstop.
Home Run Johnson was a natural at the plate, exhibiting an excellent eye and supreme confidence. In the dead ball era he was a line drive hitter, but his home runs came at opportune times. This lead to his “Home Run” nickname. His power was considered comparable to Hall-Of-Famer Frank “Home Run” Baker of the Philadelphia Athletics, who played in the same era.
He did some managing after his playing career, and had a great influence on young players.