RANDY JOHNSON HALL OF FAME SPEECH
Commissioner John “Stray” Corrado’s Introduction Speech for Randy Johnson:
Randall David “Randy” Johnson, was born in Walnut Creek, California. By the time that he entered Livermore High School, Randy was both a baseball and basketball star. In 1982, as a senior, he struck out 121 batters in 66 innings, and threw a perfect game in his last high school start. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1982, but the 6’10” southpaw opted to pitch for the University of Southern California instead, in which he was teammates with Mark McGwire.
In his early baseball career, Randy struggled with control problems, but one thing was for sure, he knew how to intimidate the batter in the box — just ask John Kruk [laughter]. He was among the most feared pitchers due to his pitching arsenal (fastball, slider) to go along with his tall presence, long-haired mullet and mustache — his wildness & lack of control early on didn’t help batters feel at ease.
By the time, the MWBL Draft came along in the inaugural 1997 season, Johnson cemented that he was one of the best starting pitchers in the Majors, his control problems were a thing of the past. The Philadelphia Boo Birds got Johnson on a steal of a draft pick at 92nd overall (6th Round), largely due to the fact that in the MLB, Johnson suffered an injury-shortened 1996 season of 61.1 innings pitched (8 starts, 14 games). It’s amazing to think that 91 players were drafted before “The Big Unit”.
It’s not a surprise with Tempe’s love for big name players, that they landed Johnson in a deal from Philadelphia for Rick Reed & Mike Jackson, during the 1998 season. The same season, Tempe landed earlier Hall of Fame Inductee Roger Clemens — which resulted in a first World Championship for both players. With brief stints with the Camarillo Quest (1999) & the Santa Fe Devils (2000). Johnson found his way back to the Tempers for another World Series ring in 2001. The New River Road Runners would draft Randy in the Remodification Draft prior to the 2002 MWBL Season, that would be the closest thing to long-term for Randy, with 4 seasons in New River. Johnson logged a 70-35 record during his time with the Road Runners. Johnson spent the remainder of his career with Midwest Mud Hens, Tijuana Bottle Rockets, Jersey Nor’Easters & Bethesda Bandicoots.
He is a 2-time N.L. Cy Young Award Winner, 5-time All-Star selection (starting once for New River), and winning the All-Star Game MVP as a Temper in 2001.
From 2000-2001, largely due to his 31-1 season with Tempe in 2001, Randy compiled a 54-7 record that amounted 577 K’s; Counting 2002, he was 71-16 during that stretch of 2000-2002. Johnson compiled 22+ victories (4 times).
Johnson finished his MWBL Career, as the MWBL’s All-Time Strikeout King with 2,870 strikeouts – He is 6th all-time in victories (209-95 record), posting a .688 winning percentage (4th among MWBL retirees) & 3.01 ERA (ranked 5th among retired players). His 9.44 strikeouts per nine innings is only second all-time to 2014 MWBL Hall of Fame Inductee Pedro Martinez, while Randy’s 205 K’s per season is a league’s best. His 336 K’s in 2002 for New River is the 3rd best single-season mark; Johnson owns 5 of the top 15 seasons for single-season strikeouts in MWBL history (336, 297, 289, 288 & 280).
Ladies & Gentleman, Randy Johnson
[Clapping]
Randy Johnson’s Speech:
Thanks, Commish. Thanks everyone, wow… the MWBL Hall of Fame, with all the talent that has been witnessed in this wonderful baseball league & now to be part of something really special, leaves me speechless. You couldn’t have asked for better weather, and I couldn’t have asked to be inducted with a better group of guys, I was teammates with both Roger and Barry in 2001. It took me a little longer than Roger to figure pitching all out, I certainly had the velocity and pitching power, but obviously was erratic earlier in my baseball career, thankfully by the time the Mid-West Baseball League came along, I was a much stronger pitcher, with complete control of my mechanics, with much more knowledge of the game.
Roger mentioned the great Nolan Ryan as someone he idolized, I had the wonderful privilege to work a pitching session in with Nolan in late 1992, he mentioned that he appreciated my talent and did not want to see me take as long as he did to figure it all out — that session would make an incredible impact on my career, and helped me make that step to the next level. He suggested that I tweak my delivery, instead of landing on the heel of my foot, which I would finish off-line — He wanted me to land on the ball part of my foot instead; Almost immediately, I discovered the difference. I think that’s the beauty of this game, to become one of the best, you need to learn from the best, for him to do that just shows what an amazing man he is — I mean, I was his competition, and for him to take the time, I will always be thankful for. I would like to say, I kind of felt guilty, just a little, that I would later strikeout 18 of his teammates in a later 8-Inning game during that season — I believe I read that I threw 160 pitches that game, a mark that has not been reached in the MLB since.
To stand alone, at the top of the MWBL rankings in all-time strikeouts, I still have to take a moment and pinch myself — 2,870 K’s is a lot of strikeouts, and the competitive part in me kicks in… even now, when I think how much I would have loved to get that career ERA just under 3.00, I was this close [using his fingers, displaying a inch]. I guess 3.01 is not that bad [smiles].
I would have loved to have pitched better in the MWBL post-season than I did, and I can only be happy with the accomplishments that helped my teams get to the playoffs. I want to thank the Tempe Tempers for acquiring me in 1998 & once again in 2001, for both of my World Series rings, to be part of a championship team in the MWBL is an amazing thing — everyone on the team plays a part, one cohesive group, a band of brothers. I want to thank the New River Road Runners, although the franchise is no more, they gave me a home for five seasons, in where I spent the bulk of my well-traveled career. I want to thank the Philadelphia Boo Birds, another defunct franchise, for drafting me in 1997 & believing that I wasn’t damaged goods, due to my injury, and giving me my start to my MWBL career. I want to thank the other teams at the end that employed me for their services, and to all the teammates that I got to play with, and got to know through the years — thankful for the times with their families, our times working with local charities. Plenty of wonderful memories that I will always treasure.
I want to thank my wonderful family, my wife Lisa, who has stuck by me to let me keep playing the game that I love as long as I possibly can, to my wonderful kids — I love you guys. I want to thank the good lord above, who blessed me with the ability to pitch the way that I do, it was your guidance that kept me on the right path through life and baseball, I’m forever grateful. Last, but definitely not least, the wonderful fans of the Mid-West Baseball League, that kept coming to the ballparks to watch grown men simply play the games that they loved since being kids — Thank you, thank you, thank you… God bless everyone.
[Applause]