Rich Dubroff

Former Norfolk manager Ron Johnson dies of Covid-19 at 64

SCROLL DOWN TO READ ARTICLE

Ron Johnson, who managed the Triple-A Norfolk Tides from 2012-2018, died on Tuesday from complications of Covid-19 in Tennessee, family sources told the Virginian-Pilot. Johnson was 64.

Johnson came to the Orioles from the Boston Red Sox, where he was first base coach. He worked closely with executive vice president Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter.

He won the Cal Ripken Sr. award for the top minor league staff member in 2015 and 2018. Johnson joined the Orioles’ coaching staff several times after Norfolk’s season concluded, spending a few weeks with the Orioles.

Johnson managed 25 seasons in the minor leagues in the Kansas City, Boston and Orioles organizations from 1992-2018. He was a major league coach with he Red Sox in 2010 and 2011.

He had a record of 1752-1773 and was 491-511 with the Tides. In 2015, Johnson was named International League Manager of the Year.

Johnson was fired by the Orioles after the 2018 season before the arrival of Mike Elias as executive vice president/general manager.

He played 22 major league games with Kansas City and Minnesota from 1982-1984.

In 2017, Johnson managed his son, Chris, a former major league first baseman and third baseman, in Norfolk.

Johnson is survived by his wife, Daphane, and five children.

Rich Dubroff

Rich Dubroff grew up in Brooklyn as a fan of New York teams, but after he moved to Baltimore, quickly adopted the Orioles and Colts. After nearly two decades as a freelancer assisting on Orioles coverage for several outlets, principally The Capital in Annapolis and The Carroll County Times, Dubroff began covering the team fulltime in 2011. He spent five years at Comcast SportsNet’s website and for the last two seasons, wrote for PressBoxonline.com, Dubroff lives in Baltimore with his wife of more than 30 years, Susan.

View Comments

Share
Published by
Rich Dubroff

Recent Posts

  • Peter Schmuck

Peter Schmuck: Fire the manager? The general manager? And what then?

It’s that time of a bad year again. The Orioles are in a tailspin and…

May 16, 2025
  • Calling the Pen

Calling the Pen: It’s time for Orioles owner David Rubenstein to assert himself

So when does owner David Rubenstein say, enough is enough? When does he acknowledge that…

May 16, 2025
  • Mailbag

Are the Orioles worried about Adley Rutschman? | MAILBAG

Question: What is wrong with Adley Rutschman?  He hasn't hit for almost a year now…

May 16, 2025
  • Rich Dubroff

Orioles fall to lowest point since 2021 in 4-0 loss to Twins

BALTIMORE--What happened? For the first time since the end of the 2021 season, a year…

May 15, 2025
  • Mailbag

Has the Orioles’ window for contention closed? | MAILBAG

Question: Are you surprised at how short the window for contention was for the Orioles? …

May 15, 2025
  • Rich Dubroff

Orioles lose doubleheader to Twins, fall 11 games under .500

BALTIMORE--What happened? The Orioles looked as if they were about to split Wednesday’s doubleheader, and…

May 15, 2025