MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Member Fred Johnson Passes Away
5/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
May 16, 2012
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Former Michigan State track & field standout Fred Johnson died on Friday, May 11 in Grand Rapids. He was 87.
Johnson was inducted in the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993, as a tribute to his outstanding accomplishments as a member of the Spartan track & field program. He won the indoor NCAA Championship in the broad jump in 1949, while also earning All-America honors in the low hurdles that same year. In addition, he was a six-time IC4A champion, claiming five in the broad jump and one in the 220-yard low hurdles.
To this day, Johnson still holds the Spartans' school record in the long jump, leaping 7.74m (25-4 3/4) in 1948. Also during his time at MSU, he shared the world record in the 65-yard low hurdles. In total, Johnson broke eight varsity track and field records during his time as a Spartan.
Johnson graduated from Michigan State in 1950 with a degree in adult and continuing education, and later earned his master's degree in education from MSU.
In addition to his induction on the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, Johnson is also a member of the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame (2008) and Grandville High School Sports Hall of Fame (1991).
