1994 Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: TRACK
Parent: R.G. Johnson, Sr.
Brothers: Art, Ed, Wilbur, James
Flint sports produced an outstanding track talent in R.G. Johnson of Flint Northern. He comes from a family of great athletes. At Northern he participated in football, but soon decided track was his sport. R.G. became one of the most outstanding track performers in the State. In 1951 he was the Saginaw Valley broad jump champion, 21’10” and the Regional broad jump champion, 21’5 3/4″. R.G. joined a select group of track men by qualifying to compete in three events in the State Meet, 100 and 220 yard dashes and broad jump in 1951. He was the 1952 City broad jump champion, 2 1’6 3/4″, Valley broad jump champion, 20’11, State champion 21’5 3/4″ and the Non Grad Meet Champion, 19’11 3/4.” He was also the Central Michigan relays broad jump champion, 21’5 3/4″ and came in second in the 100 yard dash. R.G. was the Saginaw Valley Champion at 60 yards, with a winning time of 6 seconds. He ran anchor on the Valley 880 relays record team, 1.326. He was the regionals 220 dash champion at 23 seconds and placed second in 100 yard dash, 10.4. He lost only one time during the 1952 season, placing second in the broad jump, 20’5 3/4″.
It was another banner year for Flint Northern as the 1953 State Track Champions. In 1953, R.G. set two records, the City Dort Field broad jump record leap of 20’9 1/4″ and Saginaw Valley broad jump record, 22’7 1/2″. He also ran on Northern’s half-mile relay team, and set a State record of 2.29.7. R.G. was Regional high jump champion, 5’10”, placed second in Regional broad jump, 20’10” and second in State Meet broad jump, 2 1 ‘1 “. R. G. earned three letters in track from 1951 to 1953.
He is now a retiree from Buick. Thanks for your contribution to Flint sports.
