Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008

Pelicans GM Johnson earns Carolina League honor

MYRTLE BEACH| Myrtle Beach Pelicans general manager North Johnson has been awarded the Carolina League's 2008 Calvin Falwell Award as the league's top executive. The award marks the fourth time Johnson, 50, has been honored by league owners, general managers and managers.

Johnson, who joined the Pelicans as general manager before the 2007 season, was also honored as the Carolina League's Executive of the Year three times during a 17-year tenure as general manager of the Kinston Indians (1988, 1994, 2000). This past season marked the 30th in baseball for Johnson.

The Pelicans swept the Carolina League's three postseason awards with Rocket Wheeler earning Manager of the Year and Chris ``Butter'' Ball getting the Sports Turf Manager of the Year for a third consecutive season.

During the season, the Pelicans set a new 10-year franchise attendance record with 242,397 fans and the club also hosted the 2008 California-Carolina League All-Star Game.