Howard “HoJo” Johnson revisits Brooklyn’s baseball rebirth with World Baseball Network
At a community event hosted by the Nick Loeb Foundation in Westchester County, Mets great Howard “HoJo” Johnson sat down with World Baseball Network’s Reginald Armstrong to retrace the Cyclones’ launch and the night New York paused.
A borough on the brink, a season that stopped
Johnson said, “We were gonna win that night because Ross was on the mound,” then added, “I looked outside and I could see the smoke coming out of the city, and I got in the car and I went to Shea.” The championship never resumed and Johnson reflected, “We should have been there in Brooklyn celebrating that championship that night.”
Harmonicas, road miles, and Surf Avenue lights
The first bus rides ran through Jamestown and Vermont, and a surprise anthem set the tone. “Carl Erskine performing the anthem on harmonica,” Johnson said, “I was shocked.” When the team finally reached Coney Island, the home opener felt like a coronation. “We were enjoying every minute of it,” he said. “Sellout after sellout every game… celebrities every night… it was incredible.”
The first win at home, the start of something new
A Mike Jacobs sac fly scored Leandro Arias and lit up the boardwalk. Johnson called it “a new beginning, really a new beginning.” The dugout message stayed simple, “The players came ready to play every night,” and, “Hey, we gotta be ready, you guys are professionals… you’re fortunate.”
From hitting coach to manager, passing the torch
Promoted to manage in 2002, Johnson said, “We took that very seriously,” noting how the organization trusted the staff with its prospects. He tipped his cap to the room’s teachers, mentioning Donovan Mitchell Sr. as a steady voice with the hitters, and to longtime ally Bobby Ojeda as the standard for accountability.
Still teaching the craft, still showing up for New York
Johnson’s present tense remains baseball. “Showtime Sports Academy is the name of our place in Nashville,” he said. “You can find me there a lot… teaching.” He still returns north for Mets appearances and community gatherings like the Nick Loeb Foundation event that brought legends, first responders, and neighbors under one roof, proof that Brooklyn’s baseball heartbeat still carries beyond the outfield wall.
