ABCA Hall of Fame

For his contributions to the game of baseball, current ABCA Chairman of the Board Mark Johnson was the recipient of the 2012 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award.

Mark Johnson was an assistant baseball coach for 15 years prior to becoming the head coach at Texas A&M University. He spent two years at his alma mater, the University of New Mexico, five years at the University of Arizona, where in 1976, the Wildcats won the NCAA Div. I National Championship, six years at Mississippi State University and two years at Texas A&M.

Johnson was the head coach at Texas A&M from 1984-2005 where he compiled a record of 876-433-3. A replica of his No. 7 jersey is now displayed on the right field fence in his honor.

In 2006 Johnson became the head coach at Sam Houston State University where he coached until his retirement in 2011. During five seasons at SHSU, Johnson led the Bearkats to three consecutive Southland Conference Championships and three NCAA Tournament berths.

At the completion of his coaching career, Johnson’s career record was 1043-564-3 (.649). He was the 44^th coach to total 1,000 coaching victories at the NCAA Div. I level. Johnson had 108 players drafted into professional baseball, and he graduated 93 percent of his student athletes.

Johnson recorded four 50-plus winning seasons and thirteen 40-plus winning seasons. In 1989 the Aggies concluded their baseball season with a final ranking of No. 2 in the country. The 1989 team also went 58-7, a school record, and had the top winning percentage in the NCAA.

After 41 years of coaching NCAA Div. I baseball, Johnson retired in 2011. His professional recognitions include the following:

• 2015 Inductee Southeastern Conference “Baseball Legends”
• 2014 Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Southwest Conference Hall of Fame
• 2014 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Hall of Champions
• 2012 Texas A&M Lettermen’s Hall of Fame
• 2009 ABCA Ethics in Coaching Award (inaugural recipient)
• 2007 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Baseball “Jerry Kindall Character in Coaching” Award
• 2006 Inductee University of New Mexico Hall of Honor
• 2006 Round Rock Express Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2002 Inductee into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame
• 2001 ABCA Hall of Fame inductee
• 1999 United States Olympic Committee Coach of the Year - Baseball
• 1999 Head coach USA National baseball team
• 1999 National Coach of the Year by the Sporting News
• 1997 Texas A&M Student Athlete Advisory Committee Coach of the Year
• 1994 President of ABCA
• 1991 Assistant Coach USA National Team, Pan American games
• ABCA Regional Coach of the Year in 1986, 1993, 1998, & 1999
• BIG XII Coach of the Year in 1998, 1999 and 2003
• SWC Coach of the Year in 1986, 1989, and 1993
• Winningest baseball coach in Texas A&M history
• Co-Authored three books published by the ABCA

Named after the great Lefty Gomez, this annual award is presented to an individual who has distinguished himself among his peers and has contributed significantly to the game of baseball locally, nationally and internationally. The Lefty Gomez Award is sponsored by Wilson Sporting Goods.