On May 9, 2001, at Bank One Ballpark in Arizona, the Arizona Diamondbacks faced the Cincinnati Reds. 

In the top of the 9th inning, with the game tied 1-1, all eyes were on the 37-year-old veteran Randy Johnson. With 18 strikeouts through eight innings, Johnson had the chance to become the third pitcher in MLB history to strike out 20 batters in a nine-inning game if he could strike out the final batter.

 

 

The last batter was the formidable Juan Castro. The first pitch was a ball outside. Johnson quickly followed with a fastball and slider to get two strikes. He chose his signature pitch for the fourth pitch, the four-seam fastball. The ball left his hand and missed Castro's bat, making Randy Johnson the third pitcher in MLB history* to achieve 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game.

* This record means striking out 20 of the 27 outs, requiring a pitcher to average more than two strikeouts per inning. Only four pitchers (Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood, Randy Johnson, Max Scherzer) have achieved this, making it a rarer feat than a perfect game, which has been accomplished 24 times.

"BIG UNIT"

Standing 208 cm and weighing 102 kg, Johnson was a highly anticipated power pitcher from his debut. Attending the renowned USC (University of Southern California), he named himself the team's ace. His fastball amazed many in the baseball community, including future MLB star Mark McGwire*, who reportedly considered giving up pitching after seeing Johnson throw..

*Mark McGwire: A power hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1990s, known for setting the rookie home run record and winning the Home Run Derby and Rookie of the Year. Revelations of steroid use later tainted his career.

After graduating college, Johnson joined the Montreal Expos, where he was recognized for his overwhelming fastball. However, his biggest issue was control. Despite his 160 km/h fastball, Johnson led the league in walks from 1990 to 1992. His control issues persisted, making him a less effective pitcher despite his mighty arm.

 

 

 

In 1992, Johnson met the mentor who would change his career, Nolan Ryan, a legendary fastball pitcher. During a game, Johnson sought Ryan's advice on his control issues. Ryan shared his techniques, dramatically improving Johnson's control and marking the beginning of his second baseball life.*.

* After meeting Nolan Ryan in 1992, Johnson never again averaged more than four walks per nine innings, significantly improving from his previous average of over five.

 

 

In 1993, at the relatively late age of 30 for an athlete, Johnson posted a 19-8 record, a 3.24 ERA, 308 strikeouts, and 99 walks, establishing himself as a dominant pitcher. Remarkably, he maintained his 160 km/h fastball while improving his control.

Johnson's overpowering fastball was famously demonstrated in the 1993 All-Star Game against John Kruk*. Johnson's 164 km/h pitch nearly hit Kruk in the head, causing Kruk to flee the batter's box in fear, a moment broadcasted live.

“Stepping the box, I said all I wanna do is just contact. But after first pitch, all I wanna do is live. And I live. So I am good at Bat”

Johnson won his first Cy Young Award in 1995 and continued his prime after joining the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999.

One of the most famous incidents during his time with the Diamondbacks was the "bird incident"*, where a pitch hit a bird in mid-flight, causing it to explode in feathers, a moment captured on camera and witnessed worldwide.

* Some scholars calculated the probability of such an event as 1 in 19 billion, highlighting its rarity.

During his four-year contract with the Diamondbacks, Johnson recorded 81 wins, 27 losses, a 2.48 ERA, and 1,417 strikeouts. He won four consecutive Cy Young Awards and a World Series title, where he also shared the MVP award with Curt Schilling*.

* The 2001 World Series was also notable for Curt Schilling's "bloody sock" game, where he and Johnson were co-MVPs.

 

 

Johnson faced injuries until 2003 but made a remarkable comeback in 2004 at age 40, with a 16-14 record, a 2.6 ERA, and a 0.9 WHIP*, also achieving the oldest perfect game in MLB history.

*WHIP: Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched, indicating how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning. Elite pitchers often have WHIPs around 1.0, with 0.9 being exceptional.

※ Randy Johnson's final at-bat during his perfect game (Source: MLB)

After stints with the New York Yankees, Arizona, and the San Francisco Giants, Johnson retired at 45 with 303 wins and 4,875 strikeouts, joining the 300-win club and ranking second in career strikeouts in MLB history*.

* He holds the record for the most strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher and led the league in strikeouts in the 1990s and 2000s.

 

 

His signature pitches were a 160 km/h four-seam fastball and a mid-140 km/h slider. His fastball was powerful, but his slider, thrown from a three-quarter arm angle, was especially devastating to left-handed batters. Players described his slider as seeming to come at their heads before breaking over the plate.

A former MLB player and commentator, Eric Karros, noted that hitters could often predict Johnson's pitches based on his glove position* but still couldn't hit them, underscoring his dominance.

* Johnson would close his glove for a fastball and spread it wide for a slider.

 

 

In 2015, Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame with 97.3% of the vote. Although many expected a perfect score, some voters withheld their ballots, believing Johnson was a sure bet. He received 534 out of 549 votes, the eighth-highest percentage in history.

 

 

Since retiring, Johnson has served as an advisor and representative for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has notable ties to Korea, having auctioned a hat bearing his nickname "BIG UNIT" to help Korean player Im Soo-hyuk* and recently sending a support video for his daughter Willow, who joined the V-League's Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders.

* Im Soo-hyuk, a Lotte Giants player, became a coma patient after an on-field accident, prompting sports stars worldwide to auction memorabilia to support him.

Fifteen years after retirement, Randy Johnson remains a legendary left-handed pitcher and fireballer. Reflecting on his career during a 2002 Cy Young Award press conference, Johnson expressed gratitude to Nolan Ryan for his transformative advice. Seeking guidance from a veteran at 27, when many athletes are set in their ways, showed Johnson's humility and courage, which are critical factors in his success.

 

 

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