Judy Johnson Memorial

The Judy Johnson Memorial sits outside of the Snow Hill Library and was raised in the summer of 2021. William Julius “Judy” Johnson (1899-1989), was an American professional third baseman and manager who’s career in Negro League baseball spanned 17 seasons, from 1921 to 1937. Born in Snow Hill, he was slight of build and never developed as a power hitter, but he achieved his greatest success as a contact hitter and an intuitive defenseman. He played in over 3,000 professional games and was known as the best all-time third baseman of the Negro Leagues. After retirement, he served as an assistant coach for three professional baseball teams and was the first Black man to serve as a coach for a major league baseball club. In 1975, he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.