With
James
jji
I 1
-'A’l
This is especially hard to write because it is something
that I never expected to happen. It seems that I would
always have someone supportive like Mr. Bill Johnson
around to help me when I needed it and to guide me when I
requested it and sometimes to just tell when I was going in
the wrong direction.
You see, I remember when I was an aggressive, young
reporter fresh out of journalism school at the University of
North Carolina and I thought that I knew everything about
writing. I was recruited to work for the Charlotte News
(afternoon newspaper now out of business) and I was
ready to conquer the world. Well, it didn’t take long for me
to realize that I was going to be used for cosmetics and that
my talent was not really important.
Disgusted, disgrunted and disappointed, I called up Mr.
Johnson one day and asked him for an interview. The year
was 1974 and he hired me. I gave my one week notice to the
News and became a Charlotte Post reporter. I have been
employed either full-time or part-time for the past 12
years.
How will I remember him?
He was kind! y
I remember when the
; University of North Carolina
; at Charlotte made the Na
! tional Invitational Tourna
; ment semifinals in New York
! City and I just walked into
| his office one day and I said,
“Mr. Johnson, how about
; financing a trip to New York
; City to cover UNCC’s 49ers in
; the finals?” He opened his
; wallet, handed me his credit '
; card and said. “Go for it.* I
; was shocked that he was so
; freehearted.
Willie L. Johnson
He often would say to me, "James, you and I both have a
great love for sports and you are not going to be happy
unless you are doing It full time."
He was receptive to new ideas.
One day in 1976,1 walked into his office and said, "Mr.
Johnson, It is a shame that the black seniors in Charlotte'
who are so talented are overlooked when the Charlotte
Observer picks its All-Star scholars.
He said, "What do you want to do to correct the situation?"
I said, "I think we ought to come up with a special
section honoring our black talented seniors." He said,
"What do you want to call it?" I thought for a minute and
SSfeplied, "How about Top Ten Seniors?" He looked at me
; and smiled andtaid that la a great Idea. >7^;
? He continued, "Come up with the criteria ami get the ^
r information from the guidance counselors and we will
print a special section." <M
That was in 1976 and now the Senior of the Year and the
Top Ten Seniors for the Charlotte Post are one of the most
coveted titles that any Mack senior could get in Charlotte
and Mecklenburg County.
He believed in youth.
Mr. Johnson was not full of fanfare and not a glory
hog. He quietly went his ways and in so doing affected the
lives of so many people.
Las< year, t went out on tbe limb because I believed in
him and I felt he deserved more recognition than he had
gotten. I believe that humans should be rewarded in life
and not In death so that one can join in the pleasure of
recognition for outstanding accomplishments.
With this in mind, I picked six semifinalists, three girls
and three boys for nominations for an award that will be ■
given this year for the second time for outstanding
achievements in athletics and academics. This is the “Bill
Johnson Award” and it will be give in July at the
Churchworker of the Year banquet.
He said, “James, what are you doing? Who gave you the
. authority?”
I said, “Mr. Johnson, you have done more for black
youngsters in this community through your newspaper
than anybody and you surely deserve this award and no
matter what we are going to give It in your name.”
He smiled and laughed and said, “You know I guess you
are right.”
I will miss his smile. The stern one, when he said you
know that you can write better than this or you need to put
more of yourself in your work.
And the pleasant one. when he said, “James, you did a
good job.”
; Walking into the lobby of the main office at the Charlotte
Post and not being able to turn to the right and steal a few
: minutes of his valuable time has been disheartening for
the past few weeks.
. He guided my career in writing.
tie woum always teu me that I had great talent and I
> should use It more often (chuckle).
I learned more from Mr. Johnson In one year from
^ laying out a paper to selling advertising than I learned in
two years of graduate school In journalism. This was the
; profession on ground level and through him I learned how
; a newspaper operates and how It stays fan operation.
He was always there when I needed him.
Mr. Johnson was never quick to judge people and one of
I his favorite statements was that “Man was not put on
i' Earth to be M perfect person and that whether you did good
; or bad someone was around to criticise you.”
He said that one should always give his best and try to be
; the best person that they could be.
I remember one time when the bottom had dropped out
; of my world and I remember the support that he gave me
| that helped to get me through some trying times.
He was like a father to me. Always there.
' * • ■ * V
Mr. Johnson, I loved you and I will miss you. But
everything you stood for will remain and although you will
not be around to talk to me, your spirit will remain to guide
me.
You are not gone. You are just away.
Brown, Howell, Johnson: Smith’s Superlatives
By Junes CuUibertaon
, . Post 8ports Writer
Johnson C. Smith Superlatives in
the NCAA final basketball statistics
included Vincent Brown, Cassandra
Howell and Dante Johnson.
Brown was fifth in the NCAA
Division II free throw percentage
race, with 86 percent. He sank 98 of
114.
Howell was 14th in field goal
percentage with S8.8 percent. She
sank 189 of 885 shots. She was 22nd in
rebounding with an average of 11.5
per game. She had a total of 253 in
the 22 games that she played.
Johnson was 22nd in field goal
percentage with 50.5 percent. He hit
207 of 348 in 29 games for the Golden
Bulls.
The Golden Bulls were ninth jn the
nation in free throw shooting per
centage with 73.5 percent, a school
record. They sank 477 of 649.
- Big Coliseum games with
Hampton on Saturday, December 8,
Norfolk State on December 15, North
Carolina Central on February 11,
Winston-Salem State of February 14,
and Gardner-Webb on February 16
highlight the Golden Bulls’ schedule.
Doubleheaders will feature the
men’s and women’s teams.
The JCSU women will host the
Women’s Invitational Tournament
November 28-29 at Brayboy.
I~~""- — . . — .
Benedict College will play a home
and home aeries with the Golden
Bull* on Saturday, November 22, in
Columbia, S.C., and come home on
Wednesday, November 28, to play in
Brayboy.
Virginia State win be the first
conference game. That will take
place November 29 in Petersburg,
Virginia.
The Golden Bulls wUl open their
home conference season on Thurs
day, December 4, when the team
hosts Elizabeth City.
Home doubleheader* featuring the
men’s and women’s t»m« wM
feature Elizabeth City on December
4. Livingstone on January 10, Paine
-on January 17, St. Augustine’s on
February 19, FayettevUle State of
January 28, and Shaw on February
Away doubleheaders will feature
St. Paul’s on December 18, Shaw on
January 3, Virginia Union on
January 6, North Carolina Central
on January 14, Livingstone on
January 19, St. Augustine’s on
January 22, Bowie State on January
24, Winston-Salem State on January
31, and Paine on February 7 in
Augusta, Ga. .
The other games will feature a
home and away series with Barber
Scotia. The Bulls are at home on
December 10 and at Concord on
"The spider looks for a
merchant who doesn’t
1 advertise so he can spin a web
across his door and lead a life
of undisturbed peace."
1 1
I 1
Dante Johnson , r?
.Ranks 22nd In FGP
February 3.
The Lady Golden Bulls will play
Virginia State on February 4, and at
Fayetteville State on November 21.
The CIAA men’s tournament la in
Richmond, VA, February 25-28.
The CIAA ladies’ tournament ■vytll
be held from February 24-28.
_
___;.
I