Robert Johnston ’23
RAM IN FOCUS
Hometown:Watertown, CT
Major:History
Position: IF/OF
Robert Johnston had never seen a baseball take a bounce off the turf like this one did. The freak incident happened in a flash during a game at Mass Maritime College during his junior year. While attempting to complete a double play, the throw coming into first took a wild kick off the rain-slicked turf and caught Johnston square in the eye.
“It swelled shut immediately,” says Johnston, a standout first baseman for the Rams. “It took about a week before I could even see light out of it.”
Thankfully, Johnston’s eye made a full recovery after a few weeks, and he returned last spring to help lead the baseball team to one of their best seasons in years.
“We’ve been a young team since I’ve been here, and the improvement has been great,” says Johnston. “A lot of the guys have worked really hard and taken some big leaps.”
The team finished 26-15 on the season to earn the top record in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC).
A native of Watertown, Connecticut, Johnston applied to FSU after seeing the campus up close during a baseball camp. A formal visit during his senior year of high school sealed the deal for him.
“It was really busy on campus when I came, and I just fell in love with the place,” he says. “I knew right then that I was going to come here.”
Johnston just completed his bachelor’s degree in History but is back at FSU this fall to earn his master’s degree and teaching license, while taking advantage of his eligibility to keep playing on the baseball team.
“It’s a treat and a blessing to be able to keep playing,” says Johnston. “I love it.”