Muskegon High School’s Jim Johnson was possibly the last baseball superstar to benefit from the tutelage of the Big Reds’ veteran coach Harry Potter, who retired from the school in 1966. Blessed with a strong arm and impeccable fielding skills, Johnson also starred as a pitcher and center fielder with the talented Muskegon Pepsis of the United Baseball League during the summer months.
The team leader at the plate with a .386 batting average, Johnson led the Big Reds to a 21-1 season and the Lake Michigan Athletic Conference crown during the 1963 season. He earned an academic scholarship to Western Michigan University.
At Western, Johnson also split time between the mound and the outfield. Johnson carried a .415 batting average and a 5-2 pitching mark with a 1.71 earned run average during his junior year. In 1966, the Broncos ended with a 21-5 record paced by the southpaw Johnson’s 7-0 record, including five shutouts in eight appearances. His 0.51 ERA in 70 innings ranked third in the nation. He was named to the Mid-American Conference first team and was selected to the College All-American second team.
Johnson was drafted by the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers, but chose to complete his studies at WMU before joining the professional ranks. In June 1967, he signed with the San Francisco Giants and was assigned to Medford, Oregon. He also made stops in Salt Lake City and Amarillo, Texas before joining the Giants’ AAA Phoenix Club in 1969.
Johnson was promoted to the Giants’ roster in October 1969. He opened the 1970 season as a member of the major league club. In his only major league decision, Johnson allowed one hit in 1 1/3 innings to beat the Cincinnati Reds. He was later returned to Phoenix where he ended with a 6-5 record.
After retiring from baseball in 1970, Johnson entered the field of education. In 1983, he accepted the position of superintendent of North Muskegon Schools. He died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 42.