“Topeka Jack” Johnson

“Topeka Jack” Johnson was born in Topeka in 1883 and graduated from Washburn University in Topeka.

Topeka Jack was a boxer, but one with a career professional record of 1-3-1. He did spar against Jack Johnson on Thanksgiving Day, 1920 at the federal prison in Leavenworth where the former champion was serving time. Topeka Jack lost the four-round exhibition.

Topeka Jack Johnson began his professional career in 1904 as a first baseman and outfielder with the Chicago Unions. The next year, he joined the Chicago Unions and in 1906, the barnstorming Topeka Giants. Johnson would carefully scout the towns in which they played to capture the sentiment to see whether residents would accept 

“clowning” on the field. 

In 1909, a group of black professionals in Kansas City, Kansas hired Johnson to move the Giants. The Kansas City Giants enjoyed great success, amassing a 147-19 record in one season. The team had Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame members Tullie McAdoo and Bingo DeMoss.

The Giants, began to decline after Johnson left the team to manage the Kansas City (MO) Royal Giants in 1910. He returned to manage the Kansas City Giants in 1912 and in 1917 returned the team to Topeka. 

Johnson later left baseball and become a police officer in Topeka, where he died in 1940 at the age of 56.