A Humboldt native, Johnson was one of the premiere baseball pitchers when he played for the Washington Senators from 1907 to 1927. He was nicknamed "The Big Train" due to the power and speed of his fastball. In 1921 Humboldt named its athletic field at S. 6th and Pine for this pitching legend. The masonry wall around the field was built in 1936 by the WPA. The site of Johnson's birthplace is, from Bridge, 2½ miles north on 9th, then 1 mile west on Iowa. A plaque on a large native stone marks his birth site. In front of the stone, a home plate is embedded in a concrete base. A display about Johnson's life is at the Humboldt Historical Museum, 416 N. 2nd. Johnson was one of the finalists in the 8 Wonders of Kansas People contest.