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Portrait of Jim Johnson

Jim Johnson

1912 – 2004

American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach, college athletics administrator

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About Jim Johnson

Lived 1912 – 2004 (aged 92). Jim Johnson was an American baseball player and basketball coach.

James Archie Johnson Jr. (September 10, 1912 – November 27, 2004) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He was tapped to reintroduce men's sports to East Carolina after World War II. He was the seventh head coach of the football, basketball and baseball teams at East Carolina Teachers College. He also was the athletic director for all sports teams. Before coaching, Johnson was a 16 letter winning athlete between 1933 and 1937. Johnson was inducted in 1978 into the ECU Hall of Fame.

"12th Man Tackle" In October 1977, William & Mary met heavily favored East Carolina University in the Oyster Bowl. In the third quarter ECU led by three points. With 3:15 left in the third quarter, William & Mary quarterback Tom Rozantz broke loose and ran for the end zone. Jim Johnson, described by The Virginian Pilot as "a portly 65-year-old gentleman in a raincoat", ran from the sidelines and threw a block tackle on Rozantz before he could score the winning touchdown. The unusual turn of events silenced the screaming William & Mary fans, and the officials gathered to discuss their course of action. After deliberation, the play was ruled a touchdown.

Head coaching record Football

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
East Carolina University

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jim Johnson's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jim Johnson?

American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach, college athletics administrator (1912-2004)

When was Jim Johnson born?

Jim Johnson was born on 10 September 1912 in Cary.

When did Jim Johnson die?

Jim Johnson died on 27 November 2004 in Virginia Beach.

What was Jim Johnson's occupation?

Jim Johnson was a baseball player and basketball coach.

What nationality was Jim Johnson?

Jim Johnson was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jim Johnson

· Wikidata: Q16016182

· DBpedia: Jim Johnson (coach)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jim Johnson. https://biography.guide/jim-johnson-baseball-player-1912/

MLA: "Jim Johnson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jim-johnson-baseball-player-1912/.

Chicago: "Jim Johnson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jim-johnson-baseball-player-1912/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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