Pike Johnson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
East Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Meredith, New Hampshire, U.S.
| Profile | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positions | Tackle, guard | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | May 2, 1896 East Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | November 6, 1985 (aged 89) Meredith, New Hampshire, U.S. | ||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Everett (Everett, Massachusetts) | ||||||
| College | Washington & Lee | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||
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| Military career | |||||||
| Allegiance |  United States | ||||||
| Branch |  U.S. Army | ||||||
| Years of service | 1918–1919 | ||||||
| Battles / wars | World War I | ||||||
| Awards |  Purple Heart | ||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||
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Karl Hilmer "Pike" Johnson (May 2, 1896 – November 6, 1985) was a professional football player in the American Professional Football Association (APFA) (later renamed the National Football League in 1922) for the Akron Pros. In 1920 he and the Pros were awarded the very first NFL Championship.
Johnson was born on September 30, 1896, in East Boston, Massachusetts. He played football for Everett High School in Everett, Massachusetts. He was a part of the 1914 Everett team that went 13–0 and outscored opponents 600 to 0.[1] In the national championship of high school football, Everett, the best team in the East, was matched against Oak Park High School from Illinois, the best team in the West. Everett defeated Oak Park 80 to 0.[2] Johnson went on to play tackle at Washington and Lee University.[1]
Football career
In 1917, Johnson played with the Massillon Tigers of the Ohio League, where he received all-pro honors in 1917. He was also World War I Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient.[3][4] After the war he played another season for Massillon and then played for the Akron Pros in 1920.
Later life
After his football career, Johnson worked for many years in the public relations department of the Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd. in Boston. He resided in Belmont, Massachusetts, and later in Laconia, New Hampshire.[1]
Johnson died on November 6, 1985, at a nursing home in Meredith, New Hampshire.[1]
