Rafer Johnson, 1960 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee
Item
Title
Rafer Johnson, 1960 Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee
Description
Holder of the Olympic decathlon championship, symbolic of rating as the world's greatest athlete, Rafer Johnson has put the small Fresno County community of Kingsburg on the athletic map in a big way. In addition to his Olympic crown, Rafer won AAU decathlon titles in 1956, 1958, and 1960, the Pan-American Games championship in 1955, and second place in the 1956 Olympics. He first broke the world record in Kingsburg and subsequently raised it in 1958 and 1960. Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas, August 18, 1935, but has lived most of his life in Kingsburg. He was an all-around athlete at Kingsburg High School, lettering in football, basketball, and baseball as well as track and making all-league teams in each sport. At UCLA, he concentrated almost exclusively on track, although he found time to play one season of basketball - and was a regular. A leader off the athletic field as well as on it, he also served one year as UCLA's student body president.
Creator
Johnson, Rafer
Relation
Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame
Coverage
Fresno, California
Identifier
SCMS_fahf_00001
extracted text
Peter G. Mehas: So, let's, let's start again. Rolling and recording now. Okay, one more time name, place
of birth, date of birth.
Rafer Johnson: Rafer Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas in 1934.
Peter G. Mehas: Where did you grow up Rafer?
Rafer Johnson: Well, we early on until I was nine years of age. We lived in Dallas and, maybe a couple of
other places in Texas. But I remember Dallas most of all. And by nine my dad brought the family to
Oakland where he worked in the shipyards for, for until the end of the war in ‘45. We've really come out
during the year of ‘45, but by the end of the year he was out of work because the shipyards closed down
and then we moved down into the valley. First stop was chowchilla, then to Madera. We spent some
time in Fresno. And then my dad got a job on the, on the railroad in Kingsburg and we moved to
Kingsburg and that was still pretty much uh, year, not more than two years after we arrived in California.
Peter G. Mehas: How did you first get introduced to sports?
Rafer Johnson: Well, it was, I don't remember doing very much on sports in Texas, but once we moved
to California and particularly to Kingsburg, there was all kinds of programs for young people there. You
know, the bitty football, there was Pop Warner football, I guess it was called then, there was baseball,
we played bitty baseball, biddy basketball. There was something for every single age category and I
suspected that a majority of that started when we got to Kingsburg.
Peter G. Mehas: In terms of sports you know, obviously you've had some most incredible, incredible
memories and in your career, what has sports done for Rafer Johnson as a person?
Rafer Johnson: Well, I, I think there's been a tremendous amount of growth. You know, I moved here to
California with my family from, from Texas, which, you know, which was basically a segregated society.
So, all the new, really, the one side, uh, when I lived there and to move to California to have the
opportunity to open up the way they did and for all of the young people, I mean, it was really inspiring
and I don't think I realized then how important it was as I certainly do now, looking back on it. But that
just opened up a whole new world for me, it opened up the opportunity to do everything that all the
other kids do and, and, and even more and people put in a lot of time with their, with their Children in
this little town. They made sure that kids were involved in activities outside the school hours. They made
sure that they had the facilities ready. They did all they could do to make the classrooms accessible in
every way to every student. So, I mean, I felt pretty special in this little town and sports meant a great
deal to me as they did to all of the other young kids in that town and as they do to most kids and
families in the Valley, it was just, it was a real unique opportunity and unique situation for both me and
my family when we both, when we all moved to this, this great little city of Kingsburg in the San Joaquin
Valley.
Peter G. Mehas: What did it mean to Rafer Johnson, I had the privilege of being at the Johnson Middle
School when that community showed its appreciation to you by naming the school after you and you
pointed that very thing after it.
Rafer Johnson: It was, it was, it was absolutely, I mean, there's no way I can even put in words how I
actually felt. I mean, obviously I was elated and I, I was pleased, and I was honored and all those things
and many other adjectives, but to actually put in words how people in your hometown treat you in this
exemplary manner. It's really hard to describe, but it was a place that I'd grown up in, a place that I had
friends then and still have many friends there. My classmates that I spent all those years within grade
school and high school, we're the ones who spearheaded that drive and to be sitting on the stage with
them all around us. It was, it was a special moment and one that I'll never forget. And I, I took my,
Jimmy and Eddie and both Herman Delores, my sisters and brothers were all there and uh, my mom and
dad had passed away by then, which it saddens us all. But because without them, of course we wouldn't
have even got into that little city. My dad took that job, but I took my son with me as well. My wife and
Betsy and Jennifer and Josh were both there and I took Josh around the town just to show him where I
had been raised. And we had in fact, we stopped for lunch at the at the model drugstore. And so we're
sitting there and Josh says, dad, you know, like, what did you do in this town? So I mean he's a city kid,
you know, raised in L.A. with 8000 things to do every single day with many choices to make. And he
really wondered, well, what did you do here? And I had to stop. But when I gave him the answer, I knew
why that town meant so much to me. I said Josh, I have friends in this town that I played with as a kid
that will be my lifelong friends and they are and we did everything together. And it didn't matter what
we did. Maybe insignificant in the eyes of someone who's raised in the city with all those choices to
make. But they were all very special moments. And they bonded together with me together with friends
that I will have forever and people who I can take up a conversation withIn five minutes and we're we're
back giggling and laughing and talking about occasions that happened 30, 40, 40 years ago. And I think
that that's what that town meant to me then and what it means to me now. And it's the same thing I
told my my Children today, it's just a very special place.
Peter G. Mehas: I know this is a crazy question to ask, you had lots of achievements. What do you
consider to be your greatest achievement in sports, gold medal?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah, I, I it would be hard to narrow down to one. I mean I in 1956 I went to Melbourne,
and I won a silver medal there, which in in some ways was disappointing because I worked really hard in
hopes of winning the goal. But that was a great honor for me to be there when the when the when the
silver medal. In 1960, I was elected captain of the U. S. Team. I carried the American flag and also won a
gold medal there. So obviously, that was a tremendous highlight. In 1984 I had a chance to carry the
torch in the opening ceremonies of the games of 84 now that was a gift. But an honor that I put right
there with any other athletic honor I've had along the way. And then in 1996 I had a chance to start the
torch on its run across America for the Games being held in Atlanta. So, I was the last one to carry the
torch in terms of the opening ceremonies in L. A. And then I was the first to carry it in 1996 when it was
making the first movement towards Atlanta. So, I've had some really tremendous thrills along the way. I
was captain of the U. S. of UCLAs track team. I had four years of competition there and some real nice
things happening in those years. Um again I named several things, but it would be very difficult to
narrow down to one.
Peter G. Mehas: Student body president UCLA?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah. Yeah, that, you know, I was actually student body, I was actually student body
president in my grammar school in Roosevelt. I was student body president at Kingsburg High School,
and I capped it off by being elected president of the student body at UCLA. So, um I don't know if I’ll run
for political office, but I could really have a pretty record, right? I could say I haven't lost anywhere. So,
I'm not losing now.
Peter G. Mehas: Any disappointments?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah, I, I had, I was tremendously disappointed in 1956 when I won the silver medal and
again, you know I look back on it and I'm pleased that I had that opportunity but at that time I was
devastated because I had worked for four years not to go there and win a silver medal but to win the
gold medal. I had concentrated and done everything I thought necessary to, to win that goal and I got
down there, and Campbell had a couple of better days and, and I had an injury to be honest with you
and I didn't really come up to exactly where I had hoped I'd be. So, I was very disappointed and I, and I
cried over that for a number of weeks and the good thing about that situation was, and I learned a lot, I
mean I I went back over and scrutinized every move I made and why certain things happened to me and
hopefully if I would have had another chance, I was thinking at that time I'll do better. And again, I think
the most fortunate thing there was that I did have another shot in 1960 and had a chance to go to Rome
and was more a little more fortunate on that occasion
Peter G. Mehas: As you look back and young people who aspire to be sports and I know you spent a lot
of time with young people and you give a lot to the community, what advice would you give young
people who aspire to participate in sports?
Rafer Johnson: Well, I would give them the same advice that I started getting when I was in Kingsburg,
my high school coach and, and one of my social studies teacher was a dealer by the name of Merrill
Dotson and Merrill Dotson he said to me and to other kids in the school very early on be the best you
can be and you know, it means something to you then, but it doesn't mean uh to you then what it's
going to mean later on, and I never forgot what Merrill Dotson said. When you go into competition,
when you prepare for competition, when you think about what the outcomes, you would like to see the
best way to assure those things are happening, if there is a way to assure it is to be the best you can be,
prepare, the best that you can prepare and that allows you to be as good as you can be on the field of
competition. And so I would say to young people, what was said to me early on is if you really want to
do something well and you really want to affect what goes on in your life and the lives of people in your
community, you'd be the best that you can be and you'll make good choices and you'll do the things that
will be well, that will put you in a place that will allow you to be the best you can be. So it's, it's a
thinking process that if, if you can start early enough, you know then what you have to do to be
prepared, you know by goals you've set where you want to be and those people around you, your
family, your friends, your coaches, and your teachers will best know how to help you and if they know
what you would like to accomplish, then they will know specifically how to help you attain that goal.
Peter G. Mehas: There's been tremendous demands throughout your life on your time and you've given
and given, involved the special Olympics involved with many community fears. Why do you get involved
in those programs?
Rafer Johnson: Well, again, it all goes back to my childhood. Um, I would not have accomplished the
things that I accomplished having somebody been there to help me. That's just the way it is. And
anybody who thinks that they're so talented and so great at what they do, that they don't need any
help. I mean you're looking probably at a failure because I think that none of us attain the way we
obtained by ourselves. I mean, people help you, people are willing to assist you. People want to be a
part of of of that the processes you're going through in terms of to accomplish. And so the fact that I
was able to accomplish, again happened because someone helped me and it started early and I just
would like to be that person, one of the people who affect young people in a positive way early on and
who who will let them know right away that I'm proactive about my assistance and I look for ways to
help people and if I can be of help, I want to be because I know full well that if they are going to be as
successful as they wanna be and as good as they want to be for a number of years in the future. But
then someone has to help them early on and that's why I'm deeply involved in that process.
Peter G. Mehas: What does it mean to Rafer Johnson, after being named the 1960, the amateur athlete
of the world or actually the athlete of the United Press athlete of the world? You're in many Athletic Hall
of Fame. But what did it mean to Rafer Johnson to be inducted one of the first to be inducted back in
1960 in the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame?
Rafer Johnson: Well, it's one thing to be honored by people around the world because people around
the world really, they don't know Rafer Johnson, they know me, but they don't really know me. But the
people in Fresno and the people in Kingsburg in the San Joaquin Valley, they know who I am. And so, to
be honored by people who really know who you are. I mean, I don't think there's anything like that.
There's no greater honor than to be on than to be honored by people who you, that you grew up with,
people who coached you, people who taught you, people who know what you are, in a sense who
actually made you what you are. So that means that they are happy with the results that they are
pleased with the fact that they had some influence in terms of in this case my life. So, I mean there's
nothing that pleases me more than to be back in the valley to be around people in the valley. And again,
looking back in the Hall of Fame to have been named to the Hall of Fame by people that I grew up with.
Peter G. Mehas: In the history of the Presidents Hall of Fame, there's never been a brother combination
and I suspect and uh and even in modern athletics there's never been two more successful brother
combination than Rafer and Jimmy Johnson. What was it like? Not only you having tremendous success
but having a brother who was in the National Football Hall of Fame. UCLA, great everything, how did the
dynamics come to that?
Rafer Johnson: Well, um I, I don't, there's been very few things that pleased me actually more than to
see my brother had the successes he had. You know, I thought he should have been in the Hall of Flame
long before he was named. But the fact that he’s named is good enough. You know, when two brothers
grow up, when you particularly when the older brother has found the successes that I found along the
way sometimes that affects the younger brother and the rest of the family in a negative way. But Jim
and I always talked about that we dealt with that up front. If there was a disparaging remark or
somebody with an attitude about, you're not as good as your brother or something like that, that
happens a lot in just small talk. I wanted Jim to know that that wasn't me talking that that was
somebody else talking, that I respected what he did, and I respected what I thought he might
accomplish. And I was pulling for him all the time and I was, I don't think anybody pulled for him as
much as I pulled for him and I wanted him to find successes and when he was named to the Hall of
Fame, I was, I was asked by Jimmy to come and, and, and present him there and I tell you I've had some
proud moments in my life, but that goes right there with the proudest of anything that I've ever done. I
mean, I, I was thrilled to be there. I again appreciated what he had to do to make it to that point. And in
my mind, he's one of the great athletes of all time. Because I know again this is like in the family, it's like
people who know who you are, I know how hard he works. I know how he wanted to accomplish and I
know what he had to overcome in many ways with an older brother with some of the successes I had.
So, it was a little tougher for him, but he took everything in stride and made the most positive, out of
out of negative situations. And it turns out that he found those accomplishments and became the great
he is. And in fact, like you said, he was named to the Hall of Fame and again, I just, I can't say enough
about him. And, and, and uh again the words don't really say, how pleased I am to be his brother.
Peter G. Mehas: You've always been a most humble and gracious athlete, person. When the great
scorekeeper writes the history of Rafer Johnson, what do you want people to remember about Rayford
Johnson as a man and as an athlete?
Rafer Johnson: You know, I'd like, I'd like people to think and ah, and maybe by looking at the film and
maybe some conversation with somebody who knew me, I would say that guy was good. I mean, he, he
was the best that he could be. And it's not that I'm comparing myself with somebody else, but my
talents and what I brought to the table and what I was willing to give. Uh, I mean, I like people to say
that there are a few people that I know that could outwork him. I know I worked hard. Uh, there were a
few people who took advantage of those, what skills and abilities that they had and made them into
something even better. I knew that when I competed, I was the best that I could be because I knew
what I was given to that moment. And so, I'd like people to remember me as that there's a hardworking
person both on and off the field of competition. An athlete who was the best that he could be both on
and off the field of competition and, and a person who was willing to help his, his most fierce
competitor be the best that they could be.
Peter G. Mehas: In a non-athletic vein, I know how close you are to your family, I watched the day that
they dedicated the school to you, to your son and daughter and I know how proud you are of them.
Your daughter was quite an athlete and still is involved in beach volleyball?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah, you know uh again I've had a lot of accomplishments, a lot of good things
happened to me, and I'm pleased with all of that. And somehow that seemed a lot easier than sitting
and watching your kids compete. I mean that is tough. I mean watching my son who, who's on the track
team at UCLA throwing the javelin who by the way as we know won the Pac 10 last year and, and
finished fourth in the N. C. too and he's still got a little more growth to do. And so, I'm looking forward
to this year, his senior year at UCLA uh and then my daughter who graduated UCLA, she was captain of
the volleyball team for two years uh an All American. Played pro beach tour for women for the last two
years and this year I believe she's moving through twos. Although she hadn't officially said that to me.
But I hope she has an extended career there and maybe even make the Olympic team because now
volleyball is an Olympic sport. But all of that said it is very difficult to watch your children compete
because you want them to be the best that they can be and you want them to succeed and you want
them to, you want to see them in first place, you want to see them win the goal and you can't do
anything about it. All you can do is sit and watch and that is tough. But I've been real pleased to have
that opportunity to actually sit and watch them and, and pleased because they worked really hard. I
really don't know many people who work as hard as they work. They've taken their talents and they
made them better by, by going after it and putting some work in, in terms of the time away from them,
away from the field.
Peter G. Mehas: Last question, you know, out of the Valley, out of the San Joaquin Valley, there's been
people, the Bob Mathias’, the Rafer Johnson’s, Tom Seaver’s it goes on. What do you think, what do you
think it is in the Valley that has produced so many World Class athletes in such a small proximity?
Rafer Johnson: You know, I think you know, I think the weather has a lot to do with. I mean it's nice
weather kids are outside, you know, 364 days of the year. Uh, they're involved in activities, uh, that uh,
it's almost like cross, cross training. I mean you're, you're, you're exercising all year long and the athletes
are getting stronger. Uh, they have an opportunity to like myself. I heard about Bob Mathias, I watched
Bob Mathias. So I was inspired by Bob Mathias, you know, and Dutch Warmerdam. I read about Dutch
Warmerdam. And when I started the decathlon, I came up to Fresno and worked with, he worked with
me in the pole vault, I went from 9-6 to 11-6 in one day. And so to be inspired by people who, you're
surrounded by on a daily basis and that you can read about and to have the strong support that every
one of these towns give their young people. I mean every town right up the valley, small or large
support the young people in a way that does not happen. It seems to me in, in , in any , any other part of
the country or the world and it's unique and that uniqueness pays off in performances both on and off
the field of competition. So I think the, a lot of the credit, uh, of course some goes to the athletes
themselves, but I think a lot of the credit goes to the families, to the coaches and to the parents and
teachers who lead these young people and, and who give them some real solid choices to make along
the way.
Peter G. Mehas: Any last comment that I should have asked that I didn't ask you just like to add for the
record that.
Rafer Johnson: No for the record, you know, I love to come back to the valley, this is my favorite place,
one of my favorite places to be. And, and I think back on the first race I ever, the first track meet I ever
went to as a high school student, I ran in a track meet over at Reedley, called the Reedley relays in fact,
and there were two gentlemen standing next to the fence talking when I was warming up along the side
and I heard this one gentleman say to the other, he obviously followed track and high school sports and
he said, you know, I'm really glad to be here today. He says, I want to watch this young Swedish kid from
Kingsburg, California run by the name of Rafer Johnson. So, I'm always pleased to be back home in my
little Swedish community.
of birth, date of birth.
Rafer Johnson: Rafer Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas in 1934.
Peter G. Mehas: Where did you grow up Rafer?
Rafer Johnson: Well, we early on until I was nine years of age. We lived in Dallas and, maybe a couple of
other places in Texas. But I remember Dallas most of all. And by nine my dad brought the family to
Oakland where he worked in the shipyards for, for until the end of the war in ‘45. We've really come out
during the year of ‘45, but by the end of the year he was out of work because the shipyards closed down
and then we moved down into the valley. First stop was chowchilla, then to Madera. We spent some
time in Fresno. And then my dad got a job on the, on the railroad in Kingsburg and we moved to
Kingsburg and that was still pretty much uh, year, not more than two years after we arrived in California.
Peter G. Mehas: How did you first get introduced to sports?
Rafer Johnson: Well, it was, I don't remember doing very much on sports in Texas, but once we moved
to California and particularly to Kingsburg, there was all kinds of programs for young people there. You
know, the bitty football, there was Pop Warner football, I guess it was called then, there was baseball,
we played bitty baseball, biddy basketball. There was something for every single age category and I
suspected that a majority of that started when we got to Kingsburg.
Peter G. Mehas: In terms of sports you know, obviously you've had some most incredible, incredible
memories and in your career, what has sports done for Rafer Johnson as a person?
Rafer Johnson: Well, I, I think there's been a tremendous amount of growth. You know, I moved here to
California with my family from, from Texas, which, you know, which was basically a segregated society.
So, all the new, really, the one side, uh, when I lived there and to move to California to have the
opportunity to open up the way they did and for all of the young people, I mean, it was really inspiring
and I don't think I realized then how important it was as I certainly do now, looking back on it. But that
just opened up a whole new world for me, it opened up the opportunity to do everything that all the
other kids do and, and, and even more and people put in a lot of time with their, with their Children in
this little town. They made sure that kids were involved in activities outside the school hours. They made
sure that they had the facilities ready. They did all they could do to make the classrooms accessible in
every way to every student. So, I mean, I felt pretty special in this little town and sports meant a great
deal to me as they did to all of the other young kids in that town and as they do to most kids and
families in the Valley, it was just, it was a real unique opportunity and unique situation for both me and
my family when we both, when we all moved to this, this great little city of Kingsburg in the San Joaquin
Valley.
Peter G. Mehas: What did it mean to Rafer Johnson, I had the privilege of being at the Johnson Middle
School when that community showed its appreciation to you by naming the school after you and you
pointed that very thing after it.
Rafer Johnson: It was, it was, it was absolutely, I mean, there's no way I can even put in words how I
actually felt. I mean, obviously I was elated and I, I was pleased, and I was honored and all those things
and many other adjectives, but to actually put in words how people in your hometown treat you in this
exemplary manner. It's really hard to describe, but it was a place that I'd grown up in, a place that I had
friends then and still have many friends there. My classmates that I spent all those years within grade
school and high school, we're the ones who spearheaded that drive and to be sitting on the stage with
them all around us. It was, it was a special moment and one that I'll never forget. And I, I took my,
Jimmy and Eddie and both Herman Delores, my sisters and brothers were all there and uh, my mom and
dad had passed away by then, which it saddens us all. But because without them, of course we wouldn't
have even got into that little city. My dad took that job, but I took my son with me as well. My wife and
Betsy and Jennifer and Josh were both there and I took Josh around the town just to show him where I
had been raised. And we had in fact, we stopped for lunch at the at the model drugstore. And so we're
sitting there and Josh says, dad, you know, like, what did you do in this town? So I mean he's a city kid,
you know, raised in L.A. with 8000 things to do every single day with many choices to make. And he
really wondered, well, what did you do here? And I had to stop. But when I gave him the answer, I knew
why that town meant so much to me. I said Josh, I have friends in this town that I played with as a kid
that will be my lifelong friends and they are and we did everything together. And it didn't matter what
we did. Maybe insignificant in the eyes of someone who's raised in the city with all those choices to
make. But they were all very special moments. And they bonded together with me together with friends
that I will have forever and people who I can take up a conversation withIn five minutes and we're we're
back giggling and laughing and talking about occasions that happened 30, 40, 40 years ago. And I think
that that's what that town meant to me then and what it means to me now. And it's the same thing I
told my my Children today, it's just a very special place.
Peter G. Mehas: I know this is a crazy question to ask, you had lots of achievements. What do you
consider to be your greatest achievement in sports, gold medal?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah, I, I it would be hard to narrow down to one. I mean I in 1956 I went to Melbourne,
and I won a silver medal there, which in in some ways was disappointing because I worked really hard in
hopes of winning the goal. But that was a great honor for me to be there when the when the when the
silver medal. In 1960, I was elected captain of the U. S. Team. I carried the American flag and also won a
gold medal there. So obviously, that was a tremendous highlight. In 1984 I had a chance to carry the
torch in the opening ceremonies of the games of 84 now that was a gift. But an honor that I put right
there with any other athletic honor I've had along the way. And then in 1996 I had a chance to start the
torch on its run across America for the Games being held in Atlanta. So, I was the last one to carry the
torch in terms of the opening ceremonies in L. A. And then I was the first to carry it in 1996 when it was
making the first movement towards Atlanta. So, I've had some really tremendous thrills along the way. I
was captain of the U. S. of UCLAs track team. I had four years of competition there and some real nice
things happening in those years. Um again I named several things, but it would be very difficult to
narrow down to one.
Peter G. Mehas: Student body president UCLA?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah. Yeah, that, you know, I was actually student body, I was actually student body
president in my grammar school in Roosevelt. I was student body president at Kingsburg High School,
and I capped it off by being elected president of the student body at UCLA. So, um I don't know if I’ll run
for political office, but I could really have a pretty record, right? I could say I haven't lost anywhere. So,
I'm not losing now.
Peter G. Mehas: Any disappointments?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah, I, I had, I was tremendously disappointed in 1956 when I won the silver medal and
again, you know I look back on it and I'm pleased that I had that opportunity but at that time I was
devastated because I had worked for four years not to go there and win a silver medal but to win the
gold medal. I had concentrated and done everything I thought necessary to, to win that goal and I got
down there, and Campbell had a couple of better days and, and I had an injury to be honest with you
and I didn't really come up to exactly where I had hoped I'd be. So, I was very disappointed and I, and I
cried over that for a number of weeks and the good thing about that situation was, and I learned a lot, I
mean I I went back over and scrutinized every move I made and why certain things happened to me and
hopefully if I would have had another chance, I was thinking at that time I'll do better. And again, I think
the most fortunate thing there was that I did have another shot in 1960 and had a chance to go to Rome
and was more a little more fortunate on that occasion
Peter G. Mehas: As you look back and young people who aspire to be sports and I know you spent a lot
of time with young people and you give a lot to the community, what advice would you give young
people who aspire to participate in sports?
Rafer Johnson: Well, I would give them the same advice that I started getting when I was in Kingsburg,
my high school coach and, and one of my social studies teacher was a dealer by the name of Merrill
Dotson and Merrill Dotson he said to me and to other kids in the school very early on be the best you
can be and you know, it means something to you then, but it doesn't mean uh to you then what it's
going to mean later on, and I never forgot what Merrill Dotson said. When you go into competition,
when you prepare for competition, when you think about what the outcomes, you would like to see the
best way to assure those things are happening, if there is a way to assure it is to be the best you can be,
prepare, the best that you can prepare and that allows you to be as good as you can be on the field of
competition. And so I would say to young people, what was said to me early on is if you really want to
do something well and you really want to affect what goes on in your life and the lives of people in your
community, you'd be the best that you can be and you'll make good choices and you'll do the things that
will be well, that will put you in a place that will allow you to be the best you can be. So it's, it's a
thinking process that if, if you can start early enough, you know then what you have to do to be
prepared, you know by goals you've set where you want to be and those people around you, your
family, your friends, your coaches, and your teachers will best know how to help you and if they know
what you would like to accomplish, then they will know specifically how to help you attain that goal.
Peter G. Mehas: There's been tremendous demands throughout your life on your time and you've given
and given, involved the special Olympics involved with many community fears. Why do you get involved
in those programs?
Rafer Johnson: Well, again, it all goes back to my childhood. Um, I would not have accomplished the
things that I accomplished having somebody been there to help me. That's just the way it is. And
anybody who thinks that they're so talented and so great at what they do, that they don't need any
help. I mean you're looking probably at a failure because I think that none of us attain the way we
obtained by ourselves. I mean, people help you, people are willing to assist you. People want to be a
part of of of that the processes you're going through in terms of to accomplish. And so the fact that I
was able to accomplish, again happened because someone helped me and it started early and I just
would like to be that person, one of the people who affect young people in a positive way early on and
who who will let them know right away that I'm proactive about my assistance and I look for ways to
help people and if I can be of help, I want to be because I know full well that if they are going to be as
successful as they wanna be and as good as they want to be for a number of years in the future. But
then someone has to help them early on and that's why I'm deeply involved in that process.
Peter G. Mehas: What does it mean to Rafer Johnson, after being named the 1960, the amateur athlete
of the world or actually the athlete of the United Press athlete of the world? You're in many Athletic Hall
of Fame. But what did it mean to Rafer Johnson to be inducted one of the first to be inducted back in
1960 in the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame?
Rafer Johnson: Well, it's one thing to be honored by people around the world because people around
the world really, they don't know Rafer Johnson, they know me, but they don't really know me. But the
people in Fresno and the people in Kingsburg in the San Joaquin Valley, they know who I am. And so, to
be honored by people who really know who you are. I mean, I don't think there's anything like that.
There's no greater honor than to be on than to be honored by people who you, that you grew up with,
people who coached you, people who taught you, people who know what you are, in a sense who
actually made you what you are. So that means that they are happy with the results that they are
pleased with the fact that they had some influence in terms of in this case my life. So, I mean there's
nothing that pleases me more than to be back in the valley to be around people in the valley. And again,
looking back in the Hall of Fame to have been named to the Hall of Fame by people that I grew up with.
Peter G. Mehas: In the history of the Presidents Hall of Fame, there's never been a brother combination
and I suspect and uh and even in modern athletics there's never been two more successful brother
combination than Rafer and Jimmy Johnson. What was it like? Not only you having tremendous success
but having a brother who was in the National Football Hall of Fame. UCLA, great everything, how did the
dynamics come to that?
Rafer Johnson: Well, um I, I don't, there's been very few things that pleased me actually more than to
see my brother had the successes he had. You know, I thought he should have been in the Hall of Flame
long before he was named. But the fact that he’s named is good enough. You know, when two brothers
grow up, when you particularly when the older brother has found the successes that I found along the
way sometimes that affects the younger brother and the rest of the family in a negative way. But Jim
and I always talked about that we dealt with that up front. If there was a disparaging remark or
somebody with an attitude about, you're not as good as your brother or something like that, that
happens a lot in just small talk. I wanted Jim to know that that wasn't me talking that that was
somebody else talking, that I respected what he did, and I respected what I thought he might
accomplish. And I was pulling for him all the time and I was, I don't think anybody pulled for him as
much as I pulled for him and I wanted him to find successes and when he was named to the Hall of
Fame, I was, I was asked by Jimmy to come and, and, and present him there and I tell you I've had some
proud moments in my life, but that goes right there with the proudest of anything that I've ever done. I
mean, I, I was thrilled to be there. I again appreciated what he had to do to make it to that point. And in
my mind, he's one of the great athletes of all time. Because I know again this is like in the family, it's like
people who know who you are, I know how hard he works. I know how he wanted to accomplish and I
know what he had to overcome in many ways with an older brother with some of the successes I had.
So, it was a little tougher for him, but he took everything in stride and made the most positive, out of
out of negative situations. And it turns out that he found those accomplishments and became the great
he is. And in fact, like you said, he was named to the Hall of Fame and again, I just, I can't say enough
about him. And, and, and uh again the words don't really say, how pleased I am to be his brother.
Peter G. Mehas: You've always been a most humble and gracious athlete, person. When the great
scorekeeper writes the history of Rafer Johnson, what do you want people to remember about Rayford
Johnson as a man and as an athlete?
Rafer Johnson: You know, I'd like, I'd like people to think and ah, and maybe by looking at the film and
maybe some conversation with somebody who knew me, I would say that guy was good. I mean, he, he
was the best that he could be. And it's not that I'm comparing myself with somebody else, but my
talents and what I brought to the table and what I was willing to give. Uh, I mean, I like people to say
that there are a few people that I know that could outwork him. I know I worked hard. Uh, there were a
few people who took advantage of those, what skills and abilities that they had and made them into
something even better. I knew that when I competed, I was the best that I could be because I knew
what I was given to that moment. And so, I'd like people to remember me as that there's a hardworking
person both on and off the field of competition. An athlete who was the best that he could be both on
and off the field of competition and, and a person who was willing to help his, his most fierce
competitor be the best that they could be.
Peter G. Mehas: In a non-athletic vein, I know how close you are to your family, I watched the day that
they dedicated the school to you, to your son and daughter and I know how proud you are of them.
Your daughter was quite an athlete and still is involved in beach volleyball?
Rafer Johnson: Yeah, you know uh again I've had a lot of accomplishments, a lot of good things
happened to me, and I'm pleased with all of that. And somehow that seemed a lot easier than sitting
and watching your kids compete. I mean that is tough. I mean watching my son who, who's on the track
team at UCLA throwing the javelin who by the way as we know won the Pac 10 last year and, and
finished fourth in the N. C. too and he's still got a little more growth to do. And so, I'm looking forward
to this year, his senior year at UCLA uh and then my daughter who graduated UCLA, she was captain of
the volleyball team for two years uh an All American. Played pro beach tour for women for the last two
years and this year I believe she's moving through twos. Although she hadn't officially said that to me.
But I hope she has an extended career there and maybe even make the Olympic team because now
volleyball is an Olympic sport. But all of that said it is very difficult to watch your children compete
because you want them to be the best that they can be and you want them to succeed and you want
them to, you want to see them in first place, you want to see them win the goal and you can't do
anything about it. All you can do is sit and watch and that is tough. But I've been real pleased to have
that opportunity to actually sit and watch them and, and pleased because they worked really hard. I
really don't know many people who work as hard as they work. They've taken their talents and they
made them better by, by going after it and putting some work in, in terms of the time away from them,
away from the field.
Peter G. Mehas: Last question, you know, out of the Valley, out of the San Joaquin Valley, there's been
people, the Bob Mathias’, the Rafer Johnson’s, Tom Seaver’s it goes on. What do you think, what do you
think it is in the Valley that has produced so many World Class athletes in such a small proximity?
Rafer Johnson: You know, I think you know, I think the weather has a lot to do with. I mean it's nice
weather kids are outside, you know, 364 days of the year. Uh, they're involved in activities, uh, that uh,
it's almost like cross, cross training. I mean you're, you're, you're exercising all year long and the athletes
are getting stronger. Uh, they have an opportunity to like myself. I heard about Bob Mathias, I watched
Bob Mathias. So I was inspired by Bob Mathias, you know, and Dutch Warmerdam. I read about Dutch
Warmerdam. And when I started the decathlon, I came up to Fresno and worked with, he worked with
me in the pole vault, I went from 9-6 to 11-6 in one day. And so to be inspired by people who, you're
surrounded by on a daily basis and that you can read about and to have the strong support that every
one of these towns give their young people. I mean every town right up the valley, small or large
support the young people in a way that does not happen. It seems to me in, in , in any , any other part of
the country or the world and it's unique and that uniqueness pays off in performances both on and off
the field of competition. So I think the, a lot of the credit, uh, of course some goes to the athletes
themselves, but I think a lot of the credit goes to the families, to the coaches and to the parents and
teachers who lead these young people and, and who give them some real solid choices to make along
the way.
Peter G. Mehas: Any last comment that I should have asked that I didn't ask you just like to add for the
record that.
Rafer Johnson: No for the record, you know, I love to come back to the valley, this is my favorite place,
one of my favorite places to be. And, and I think back on the first race I ever, the first track meet I ever
went to as a high school student, I ran in a track meet over at Reedley, called the Reedley relays in fact,
and there were two gentlemen standing next to the fence talking when I was warming up along the side
and I heard this one gentleman say to the other, he obviously followed track and high school sports and
he said, you know, I'm really glad to be here today. He says, I want to watch this young Swedish kid from
Kingsburg, California run by the name of Rafer Johnson. So, I'm always pleased to be back home in my
little Swedish community.