Roy W. Johnson

Roy William Johnson (September 6, 1892 – September 20, 1989), nicknamed "Old Ironhead," was an American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served in various capacities in the athletics program at the University of New Mexico for nearly 40 years. He was the university's athletic director from 1920 to 1949, head football coach from 1920 to 1930, and head basketball coach from 1920 to 1931 and 1933 to 1940. He also coached New Mexico's track and tennis teams. In 1957, the university named the newly built Johnson Gymnasium in his honor.

Early years in Michigan Johnson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of Swedish immigrants. For nearly 40 years, he served in multiple other positions, including head coach of the football, basketball, track and tennis teams, and an instructor of physical education. The Albuquerque Tribune later wrote: "For year after year Roy Johnson was the entire athletic coaching staff at the University. He coached football, basketball, track and tennis in addition to carrying a full teaching load." He oversaw construction of Carlisle Gymnasium in 1928 and Zimmerman Field in 1938, the first football stadium at UNM.

Johnson was the head football coach at the University of New Mexico from 1920 to 1930, compiling a record of 41–32–6. His 1927 team went 8–0–1, surrendering just 28 points. In 1929, he became the first football coach to have his team fly by airplane, for a game with Occidental College at the Rose Bowl, the first night game played by the Lobos. During the early 1930s, he became an innovator in the use of arc lights to allow night games at UNM. Basketball had been a varsity sport at UNM since 1899, but the team played only sporadic games. Beginning in 1922, Johnson established a regular schedule of games against other New Mexico colleges and the University of Arizona, and further regional schools were soon added. From 1924 to 1934, his teams compiled an impressive record of 104–38 . Overall, in 18 years as the school's basketball coach, he compiled a record of 165–146 . His win total stood as the school record for over thirty years and is currently third on its all-time list.

For his many contributions, Johnson has been called the "architect of institutional sport and physical education in the American Southwest with particular application to The University of New Mexico." In 1957, the University of New Mexico regents voted to name the university's new gymnasium the Johnson Gymnasium in his honor. Sports Illustrated reported on the naming of the gymnasium as follows:Not often has a coach received so unique an honor as has Roy Johnson. While still a member of the faculty at the University of New Mexico he has had a modern, $2.5 million gymnasium and swimming pool named after him. But New Mexico's regard for Roy Johnson had been building up since 1920... The athletic program Coach Johnson built with Swedish determination has won him the admiration and affection of his students and co-workers and the nickname Ironhead.

Family and later years Johnson and his wife, Clyda, had two sons, Steffen Roy William Johnson (born April 1923) and Edwin F. Johnson, and a daughter, Coral Johnson. At the time of the 1940 United States census, they lived at 1815 Roma Avenue in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a spot that is now on the UNM campus between the University House and the duck pond. Johnson continued to live in New Mexico in his later years and was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame in 1974. He died in New Mexico in 1989 at age 97.

Head coaching record Football

Basketball