Roy W. Johnson (coach)
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Johnson, cropped from 1919 Michigan Wolverines football team portrait
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| Sport(s) | Football, basketball, baseball |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
September 6, 1892 Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Died | September 20, 1989 (aged 97) New Mexico |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1916, 1919 | Michigan |
| Position(s) | Center, guard |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1920–1930 | New Mexico |
| Basketball | |
| 1919–1931 | New Mexico |
| 1933–1940 | New Mexico |
| Baseball | |
| 1921–1929 | New Mexico |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 1920–1949 | New Mexico |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 41–32–6 (football) 165–146 (basketball) 5–3 (baseball) |
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.
Johnson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the son of Swedish immigrants. He enrolled at the University of Michigan in the fall of 1915, where he played football under head coach Fielding H. Yost. He played at the tackle position in 1916 and 1919, and started two games at center and one game at guard for the 1919 Michigan Wolverines football team.
Johnson also played baseball and was a middle distance runner for the Michigan track team. He established several records in the quarter mile event and led the Michigan mile relay team to victory at the 1917 Drake Relays As a member of the Michigan baseball team, Johnson was a backup to George Sisler. Johnson also became the national light heavyweight intercollegiate champion in the "Collegiate Physical Efficiency Competitions," defeating Boose of Yale in the 1916 finals.
Johnson's collegiate career was interrupted by military service during World War I. He served in France, where he was exposed to phosgene gas and spent several months rehabilitating in a French Hospital.
After graduating from the University of Michigan in 1920, Johnson moved to New Mexico, where he hoped that the dry, warm climate would assist him in overcoming respiratory difficulties dating back to his wartime exposure to phosgene gas. He served as the athletic director at the University of New Mexico from 1920 to 1949. He became "the one-man physical education department" at a university that, in 1920, had only 227 students and no gymnasium or football field. 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." In addition to coaching and teaching, Johnson was also assigned "the dubious task of building collegiate-level athletics facilities, many times doing the hard labor with his own hands." He oversaw construction of Carlisle Gymnasium in 1928 and Zimmerman Field in 1938, the first football stadium at UNM.
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