El Duque And C.J. Highlight Opening Series Against FAU
Jan. 23, 2001
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) — – New York Yankees star pitcher Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez and Florida Marlins catcher Charles Johnson, who starred for the Hurricanes from 1990-92, will throw out the first pitch for the University of Miami baseball games against Florida Atlantic on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.
In addition to throwing out the first pitch, Hernandez and Johnson will each have one autographed baseball raffled off each inning as part of the Hurricanes’ “Lucky Numbers” program on the night of their visit.
Miami begins the season with local-rival Florida Atlantic on Thursday, January 25 at 7 p.m. at Mark Light Stadium, followed by a second game with the Owls at Foley Field on the FAU campus in Boca Raton on Friday at 7 p.m. The two teams return to Mark Light on Saturday to close out the three game series at 7 p.m.
Hernandez, better known as “El Duque”, has seen three seasons of action with the New York Yankees since defecting from Cuba in 1998. Hernandez was a star pitcher for the Cuban National Team for many seasons before signing as a free agent by the Yankees for the 1998 season. He quickly made an impact at the Major League level, going 12-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 1998. In his first full season with New York in 1999, Hernandez went 17-9 and was named the No. 1 pitcher in the Yankees World Series championship over Atlanta.
Most noticing of Hernandez’ impact to the Yankees organization is his perfect 8-0 record and 1.90 ERA during the postseason. Hernandez has gone 3-0 in each of the last two postseasons, both ending in World Championships for the Yankees. Most recently, he helped to lead his team over cross-town rival, the New York Mets, in the “2000 Subway Series”.
Charles Johnson made a quick impact at the University of Miami upon his signing with the Hurricanes in 1989. Johnson, a first round draft pick and 10th overall selection of the Montreal Expos, forgo professional baseball to play with the Hurricanes. Johnson was an outstanding player from Fort Pierce Westwood High School where he was a three-time All-State selection and the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Florida in 1989. Those honors helped make him one of USA Today’s Super 25 players and earned him the distinction of being named the nation’s best prep catcher by Collegiate Baseball.
In his rookie season at UM, Johnson tied the freshman home run record with 11 to earn a selection to both the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball newspaper Freshman All-America teams.
Johnson eventually concluded his tenure at Miami as a three-year letterman and a two-time Golden Spikes Award finalist. In his final season with UM in 1992, Johnson was named a First-Team All-American by The Sporting News. Upon leaving Miami in 1992, Johnson was once again drafted in the first round by his hometown Florida Marlins, but not before playing with the United States National Team at the Barcelona Olympics.
Johnson played with the Marlins from 1994 through 1998, before a trade sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers during that 1998 season. He then signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles, where he played a season and a half before joining the Chicago White Sox. Johnson returned home recently as the top free agent acquisition of the Marlins during the 2001 offseason.
For season ticket information call 1-800 GO CANES or 305-284-CANES in Miami-Dade County. Information regarding Hurricane athletics can be found on Miami’s official athletic website www.hurricanesports.com.
