Baseball: Johnson loses Blue Jays job

TIM JOHNSON, the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, yesterday had his US major league baseball career derailed after he lied about his military service in Vietnam. He was about to start his second year with the Jays, but has been fired by the American League team and replaced by the veteran Jim Fregosi.

Johnson reportedly told players and others privately that he saw combat as a marine in Vietnam. However, he taught mortar training to recruits going there but never saw service.

The Blue Jays' general manager, Gord Ash, said Johnson, fired after Toronto's 2-1 exhibition loss to the New York Yankees in Tampa, Florida, had been asked to take a leave of absence. "After an appropriate leave of absence Tim will be given the opportunity to remain with the organisation in a scouting or player development role," he said.