Johnny Damon

Johnny David Damon is a former American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals (1995–2000), Oakland Athletics (2001), Boston Red Sox (2002–05), New York Yankees (2006–09), Detroit Tigers (2010), Tampa Bay Rays (2011), and Cleveland Indians (2012).

During his senior year of High School, he was rated the top high school prospect in the country by Baseball America, was named to USA Today’s High School All-America team, and was the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year.

He selected by the Kansas City Royals in the first round of the 1992 amateur draft. He made his Major League debut on August 12, 1995, and played for the Royals from 1995 to 2000. He scored 104 runs in 1998 and 101 runs in 1999. One of his best seasons came in 2000 when he led the American League in runs with 136 and stolen bases with 46, as he was second in hits (214), at-bats (655), and plate appearances (741). He spent 2001 with the Oakland Athletics. in a three-way trade involving the A’s, Royals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays,

In 2002, he led the league in triples (11) and was third in infield hits (25), becoming the first player selected by the fans in the inaugural American League All-Star Final Vote. On December 21, 2001, Damon signed a four-year, $31 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.

On June 27, 2003, Damon became only the second player in MLB history since 1900 to record three base hits in an inning, when he did so against the Florida Marlins.  On December 20, 2005, Damon signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the New York Yankees.  He is the first Yankee to have six hits in a 9 inning game since Myril Hoag accomplished the feat in 1934. Damon, after winning his second World Series, entered free agency. In 2010, With Detriot n April 14, 2010, he recorded his 1,000th career RBI against the Kansas City Royals.

On July 2, 2011, Damon went 4-for-4 and his first-inning single moved him past Ted Williams on the all-time hit list. He would finish the season 57th all-time with 2,723 career hits. Damon finished his career with 2,769 hits, placing him 54th on the List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders. His first year of eligibility for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum came in 2018 where he joined a notable group of first-time candidates. He is active in numerous charities such as the Wounded Warrior Project, which works to raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured servicemen and women as well as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.