Year Inducted – 1983

Long, lean and sizzling was the way the “thinman” Jerry Johnson came at batters for 10 years while pitching for Kent State and in the AA League for such teams as Weather Seal, Flexi-Grip, Wadsworth A.C., Red Pepper and the Akron Insulating teams. The slender right-hander with blazing speed and excellent control was named to the AA League All-Star team on seven occasions. Johnson’s super season came in 1970 when he led the Red Peppers to the League crown while winning 12 of 15 games. That performance earned him the coveted Frank Garcia Award. Just as he was reaching his prime, bursitis put an end to his career. He attempted a couple of unsuccessful comebacks in the late 1970’s and now maintains his link with baseball as a manager in American Legion play.