Sunday, December 11, 2011

The "Moon Man" Jay Johnstone

UPDATE: As many people have pointed out in the comments and in emails to me, this is not Jay Johnstone on the card. I've seen Johnstone's picture and this card hundreds of times, I've met him in person as well and I'm a little surprised I didn't realize this until it was pointed out. I'll try to get an answer on this mystery Dodger or maybe someone has a definitive answer as to who this is.


Here's my 2006 Fleer Greats of the Game Nickname Greats auto card NG-JJ
Anyone catch the lunar eclipse yesterday? I was stuck in Downtown LA, so I wasn't able to get the telescope out to see it. But I did view it live on my phone with the SLOOH Space Camera ap. It was an interesting way of watching the event, and I'm happy I got to see it. There won't be another lunar eclipse until 2014.


Of course this got me thinking of the blog, and how I could incorporate the lunar eclipse into today's post. My first thought was Wally Moon, but I've already done a post on him. Then I remembered Jay Johnstone, the "Moon Man."


Johnstone, who was one of baseball's great pranksters, played for the Dodgers in 1980, 1981 part of 1982 and again in 1985. But he got his nickname while with the California Angels.


From SABR.org:
At some point during his early years with the Angels, Johnstone acquired a lasting nickname: Moon Man. Catcher Bob “Buck” Rodgers liked to tell one version of the story. “One day he lost a ball in the sun, but when he came back to the bench he said, ‘I lost it in the moon.’' The connections with outer space were fitting, especially when the whole nation was watching the Apollo missions. In 1981, though, Johnstone told Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times that it came about as he sneaked back into his hotel room after curfew, cat-burglar style, and told another roommate, “Out of the way, you’re standing in my moonlight.” 

21 comments:

  1. He hit a big home run in the 81 world series for the Dodgers, but his pranks were legendary. He once put a soggy brownie in Steve Garvey's glove, locked tommy lasorda in his office during spring training, and once climbed into the stands during a game, to wait in line for a hotdog, while he was in full uniform! Awomse DB!

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  2. Classic! I have to read one of his books one of these days.

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  3. That is not a photo of Jay Johnstone on that card. I'm not sure who it is (I've seen guesses for Ken McMullen and Len Matuszek).

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  4. Night Owl - I've looked at that card a million times, and I've always thought that.How the hell does Fleer make that mistake?

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  5. I don't think it's McMullen and Matuszek wasn't a Dodger until 1985(the picture looks earlier). Maybe it's a bat boy.

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  6. I've got a few emails already on this. I need to get to the bottom of this.

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  7. Gus - That's what I was thinking. I wish someone knew exactly why Johnstone isn't on the card.

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  8. Haha I would be laaaaughing if it was. Maybe your a grand prize winner of some sort. Maybe eBay the item. Might have identicals with a reason of it.

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  9. I did Ebay it. They're all like this, even the non-autograph version.

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  10. That's so weird man. Well its now an "Unsolved Mystery"

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  11. I was wondering, since this looks like a Spring Training shot, if the picture is of a guy who never made it to the big league roster. That would account for no one recognizing him. I'll throw out one more name though-- Jim Lefebvre. He was with the Dodgers from 1965-1972. Anyone have an opinion?

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  12. Hackenbush - I think you may be right. I'm doing a side-by-side and it looks like Lefbvre a lot.

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  13. I think this is Tim Johnson. That was the first thing that came to mind, but I knew he'd never played for the Dodgers. So, looking at baseball-reference.com, I learned he was in the Dodger system til traded to Milwaukee in '73 for Rick Auerbach. Johnson hits left-handed, too.

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  14. Johnson was traded on April 24 from LA to MIL, so he could have even been on the roster for LA all or part of April, but just never made an appearance.

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  15. I think you guys are right. Does look like Jim L.

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  16. Reivax - I think you got it. Looking at the side by side, it's gotta be him. Although it does look a bit like Lefbvre. I wish there was a definitive.

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  17. Only thing I can think of is Google Image those names. Maybe that pic on that card would come up.

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  18. Gus - Yeah, I did. I did a few side-by-sides and it's still difficult to tell.

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  19. this is bullshit jay detests the name moon man. the story is also bullshit. i was as close to him as anyone while he was in philly and new york and i know him as well as anyone. the picture is laughable

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    Replies
    1. I guess Jay doesn't hate the name enough to turn down the money he got for signing those cards.

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