My name is Bo Johnson, Wiess 94, and I am sure you remember me as the guy that leapt into his catcher's arms after closing out Stanford 14-2 in the National Championship game (hence, the picture).  Oh. I apologize, that was Humber, and they didn't ask me to write about him.  Maybe I should stick to that Sam Houston game where I "scattered" 9 hits through five innings to secure a victory.  Point being, whether you remember me or not, you are about to learn more than you probably ever wanted to know.

I grew up in the Dallas area and although I pitched in high school, was primarily a hitter.  I was a good high school hitter, or as it turns out, we just played a bunch of bad high school pitchers.  Anyway, I was recruited here and there like most, and verbally committed to Stanford in the fall of '89, before inevitably signing with Rice early in the spring of the following year.  I entered Fall Baseball in 1990 and was like most freshmen in that I already knew everything I needed to know.  Well, that was until Coach Graham and his San Jacinto Gators came to play us that first fall afternoon.  

I figured I was the next Babe Ruth, and that we are playing a junior college right?  Well as Coach Graham would say, "Babe Ruth is dead," and as I would have to say back to him, "Did you have to trot Andy Pettitte out there for my introduction to college pitching?"  Fast-forward to the spring, and the only resemblance I had to old Babe was that I was putting on weight.  
Well, as you all know, if you are left-handed and can so much as even get the ball to home plate then you have a spot, so my career as a pitcher began. (Sorry all you right-handers that throw 90)

During the fall of my sophomore year, Coach Graham arrived, so I became his new Andy Pettitte. (Stop laughing please, its not that funny)  That was of course a joke, however our continued improvement from my sophomore year forward was not.  Coach Graham taught us to literally get better every single day whether in a game or in practice, and although I am sure he could recall a few "setbacks" during this time, we certainly moved in the right direction.  I was drafted by the Cardinals and signed following my senior year as an Owl.  I would love to continue on about my storied professional career throughout the Cardinal organization, however the facts remain that I:

1) Was always an Astros fan at heart,
2) Could not stand the "business" side of baseball
3) Never really shook a nagging arm injury.

In 96, an MRI revealed a slight shoulder tear, and I revealed to the Cardinals that I was heading home.  I could not be more ecstatic that I had the opportunity to play professional baseball, and also could not be more ecstatic that I quit when I did.  I moved back to Dallas and began my working career with my father and brother in the janitorial and food safety industry.  Today, I live in McKinney, TX with my lovely wife, two beautiful daughters, and I am president of what is our humble little family business.

Coach Graham once called me the "Dumbest, smart guy he ever met" after Kieschnick deposited one onto University, and you know what, he was right!
I certainly learned what it took to succeed in baseball while at Rice, but more importantly, Coach taught me what it took to succeed in life.  I am truly grateful to Coach Graham and the University for what they taught me, and I am certainly grateful to be a part of an incredible fraternity of former players.  My best friends in life are still those that I played with at Rice, and I continue to be amazed at the caliber of individuals I meet that played in a different era.

Here's to RUBPA, and go Rice Football!!