Ching Johnson
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1958
Born (1897-12-07)December 7, 1897
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died June 17, 1979(1979-06-17) (aged 81)
Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for New York Rangers
New York Americans
Playing career 1925–1944

Ivan Wilfred "Ching" Johnson (December 7, 1897 – June 17, 1979) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the New York Rangers and New York Americans in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1926 and 1938. He was an original member of the Rangers and was part of two Stanley Cup championship winning teams. He was named to the NHL's post-season all-star team four times and played in the Ace Bailey Benefit Game, the first all-star game in league history.

A veteran of the First World War, Johnson did not begin playing competitive hockey until he was in his 20s and was nearly 30 when he first broke into the NHL. Regarded as one of the hardest bodycheckers to ever play the game, he was a fan favourite and went on to play 436 games with the Rangers and Americans before spending his final seasons in the minor leagues as a player, coach and official. Johnson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958, and is also a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.

Early life

Johnson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on December 7, 1898. He was an accomplished football and lacrosse player in his youth.[1] He enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in January 1916, joining the Third Division Ammunition Column.[2] He arrived in England on March 25, 1916, and was in France by mid-July that year, re-assigned to the Fourth Division, where he helped deliver ammunition to the front. In November 1917 he was admitted to hospital for verneral disease, and spent 84 days there, and on June 22, 1918, was awarded the Good Conduct Badge.[3] Johnson returned to Canada in May 1919 and was discharged later that month.[4]

Ching Johnson, second from right in the front row, with the Eveleth Reds in 1920–21. His brother Adrian Johnson is sitting at far left.

Back in Winnipeg, Johnson worked for an electric light company.[5] He first played competitive hockey in 1919 when he joined the Winnipeg Monarchs of the Winnipeg Senior Hockey League.[1] He played two seasons with the Monarchs before moving to Eveleth, Minnesota, where he joined the local team to play three seasons in the United States Amateur Hockey Association (USAHA). On the Eveleth team he was a teammate of his younger brother Adrian "Ade" Johnson who played at left wing. He then played three seasons in Minneapolis, concluding in 1925–26 with the Minneapolis Millers.[6] He was named a league all-star on defence in both 1924 and 1926.[7]

First nicknamed "Ivan the Terrible", Johnson later earned the nickname "Ching" when fans of the defenceman would shout "Ching, Ching Chinaman" to support him.[8] Though he was of Irish descent, he was called "Chinaman", then "Chink" and finally "Ching" as he was considered to have an Asian looking face.[5] His physical style of defence made him immensely popular with fans, and he was often seen with a wide grin any time he made or received contact during a game.[9]

National Hockey League career

It was from Minneapolis that Johnson was recruited, along with his defensive partner Taffy Abel, to play for the newly formed New York Rangers.[6] Offered the position at the age of 28, Johnson insisted on a three-year contract as he believed it would be the only one he would get.[5] He made his NHL debut in the Rangers opening game on November 16, 1926, in a 1–0 victory over the Montreal Maroons.[10] A rugged and physical defenceman,[5] Johnson appeared in only 27 of the Rangers' 44 games as he suffered a broken collar bone early in the season,[11] but still finished second on the Rangers with 66 penalties in minutes.[12] In 1927–28, his total of 146 penalty minutes led the team and was second in the NHL to Eddie Shore's 165.[13] He added a career high 10 goals,[14] and helped the Rangers win their first Stanley Cup.[15] Additionally, he was voted by the fans as the most valuable player of either New York team.[16]

Johnson was lost to the Rangers early in the 1928–29 season when he suffered a broken ankle during a December game against the Maroons.[17] A couple days after his injury, he had to be rescued when a fire threatened the Montreal hospital at which he was convalescing.[18] Johnson missed virtually the entire regular season with the injury, but returned in time for the 1929 playoffs, and was credited with improving the Rangers' play as they reached the final against the Boston Bruins.[19]

His contract having expired following the season, Johnson was a hold-out when the Rangers opened their training camp prior to the 1929–30 NHL season as the team was reluctant to meet his demands for increased pay.[20] When the impasse dragged into November, he threatened to quit the game altogether[21] before finally agreeing to a new three-year deal.[22] He appeared in 30 games for the Rangers that season, but again missed significant time, this time suffering a broken jaw.[23] Again, Johnson returned in time for the playoffs, but was forced to wear a steel mask to protect his face.[5]

Johnson remained healthy in 1930–31, appearing in 44 games and was named to the league's Second All-Star team on defence.[14] In addition to being named to the first All-Star team in 1931–32, Johnson finished just one vote behind Howie Morenz for the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player.[24] He was again named to the first All-Star team in 1932–33 and led the Rangers to their second Stanley Cup; his defensive play was credited as being key to the team's success.[6]

In 1933–34, Johnson earned his fourth consecutive post-season all-star nod, on the second team.[14] He also participated in the first all-star game in NHL history as the league held a benefit game to raise money for Toronto's Ace Bailey, whose career had been ended by a violent hit early in the season.[6] Johnson contemplated retirement following that season as he again found himself in a dispute with the Rangers on a new contract, but signed prior to the season's start.[25] His season was again reduced by injury in 1934–35 but he returned in time for the playoffs.[26]

Prior to the 1936–37 season, the Rangers signed Johnson to serve as the defensive coach while he continued to play.[27] He appeared in 35 games but scored no points.[14] Seeing little playing time, and having an offer to coach a minor league team, Johnson requested that the Rangers give him his outright release following the season.[28] Believing that he had become too slow to play, the team agreed.[5] He subsequently signed with the New York Americans,[29] with whom he played one final NHL season in 1937–38.

Post-NHL career

At age 40, Johnson returned to the Minneapolis Millers as a player-coach for the 1938–39 season. He quickly became the American Hockey Association's most popular star as large crowds attended games he participated in,[30] and was named an AHA all-star in 1939.[7] He served in the dual role for two years before resigning in 1940.[31] Johnson then coached for a time in California,[32] before returning east to coach the Washington Lions of the American Hockey League.[5] He also served as an official in the Eastern Hockey League. During one game in 1944 in which he was working as a linesman, Johnson forgot he was no longer playing and threw a bodycheck on a player. When asked after the game about the incident, he stated it was "instinct" that led him to throw the hit.[33]

In recognition of his career, Johnson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1958.[6] He was also inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1994,[1] and is an honoured member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. The latter hall named him to province's all-century second all-star team.[34]

After leaving hockey, Johnson worked construction in Washington, D.C.,[35] and later retired to the nearby community of Silver Spring, Maryland.[5] He and his wife Ellen had two children: Geraldine and James. He had four grandchildren and one great-grandchild at the time of his death in 1979.[9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1919–20 Winnipeg Monarchs WSrHL 763910 —————
1920–21 Eveleth Reds USAHA ————— —————
1921–22 Eveleth Reds USAHA ————— —————
1922–23 Eveleth Reds USAHA 2040426 —————
1923–24 Minneapolis Millers USAHA 20931234 —————
1924–25 Minneapolis Rockets USAHA 4080843 —————
1925–26 Minneapolis Millers CHL 381451992 32026
1926–27 New York Rangers NHL 2732566 20008
1927–28 New York Rangers NHL 4210616146 911246
1928–29 New York Rangers NHL 800014 600026
1929–30 New York Rangers NHL 3033682 400014
1930–31 New York Rangers NHL 4426877 410117
1931–32 New York Rangers NHL 4731013106 720224
1932–33 New York Rangers NHL 488917127 810114
1933–34 New York Rangers NHL 4826886 20004
1934–35 New York Rangers NHL 2923534 40002
1935–36 New York Rangers NHL 4753858 —————
1936–37 New York Rangers NHL 350002 90114
1937–38 New York Americans NHL 3100010 60002
1938–39 Minneapolis Millers AHA 47291160 40220
1939–40 Minneapolis Millers AHA 4804426 30002
NHL totals 436384886808 61527161

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Ivan "Ching" Johnson". Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  2. ↑ MacLeod, Alan Livingstone (2018). From Rinks to Regiments: Hockey Hall-of-Famers and the Great War. Victoria, British Columbia: Heritage House. p. 160. ISBN 978-1-77203-268-0.
  3. ↑ MacLeod. From Rinks to Regiments. p. 161.
  4. ↑ MacLeod. From Rinks to Regiments. p. 162.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Podnieks, Andrew (2003). Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL. Toronto: Doubleday Canada. p. 407. ISBN 0-385-25999-9.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ching Johnson biography". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  7. 1 2 Duplacey, James; Zweig, Eric (2010). Official Guide to the Players of the Hockey Hall of Fame. Firefly Books. p. 263. ISBN 978-1-55407-662-8.
  8. ↑ Halligan, Joe (2003). Images of Sports: The New York Rangers. Arcadia Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 0-7385-1228-1.
  9. 1 2 McGowen, Deane (1979-07-22). "Ching Johnson, star of Rangers in 20's and 30's, is dead at 81". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  10. ↑ Lawrence, Seabury (1926-11-17). "Ranger six wins debut in Garden". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  11. ↑ "Pirates and Rangers to meet here this evening". Pittsburgh Press. 1927-02-12. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  12. ↑ "1926–27 New York Rangers statistics". Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  13. ↑ "1927–28 NHL league leaders". The Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Ching Johnson statistics". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  15. ↑ "New York Rangers 1927–28". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  16. ↑ "Johnson gets hockey cup". New York Times. 1928-03-22. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  17. ↑ Theis, Grover (1928-12-04). "Johnson, Rangers, has broken ankle". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  18. ↑ "Ching Johnson Carried Down Fire Escape When Flames Imperil Montreal Hospital". New York Times. 1928-12-07. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  19. ↑ "Rangers and Boston teams meet tonight". Pittsburgh Press. 1929-03-28. p. 31. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  20. ↑ "Ching Johnson remains holdout". Montreal Gazette. 1929-10-31. p. 17. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  21. ↑ ""Ching" Johnson to quit hockey". Ottawa Citizen. 1929-11-08. p. 11. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  22. ↑ "Ching Johnson signs". New York Times. 1929-11-13. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  23. ↑ "Hockey: Four games tonight". Milwaukee Journal. 1930-02-04. p. 2. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  24. ↑ "Morenz again wins Dr. D. Hart Trophy". Ottawa Citizen. 1932-03-25. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  25. ↑ "Warming up the ice". New York Times. 1934-11-15. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  26. ↑ "Johnson to skate in play-offs". New York Times. 1935-03-23. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  27. ↑ "Ching Johnson signs". Montreal Gazette. 1936-11-03. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  28. ↑ "Remaining original Rangers growing weary". Windsor Daily Star. 1937-03-15. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
  29. ↑ ""Ching" Johnson joins Americans". Ottawa Citizen. 1937-11-20. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  30. ↑ ""Ching" Johnson minor loop hero". Ottawa Citizen. 1938-12-27. p. 10. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  31. ↑ "Ching Johnson quits as coach". New York Times. 1940-06-19. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  32. ↑ "Casual close-ups". Montreal Gazette. 1941-01-11. p. 16. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  33. ↑ Kreiser, John; Friedman, Lou (1996). The New York Rangers: Broadway's Longest Running Hit. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 26. ISBN 1-57167-041-6.
  34. ↑ "Ivan Wilfrid (Ching) Johnson". Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  35. ↑ "Boucher recalls memories of his 25 years". Regina Leader-Post. 1951-02-14. p. 21. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
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