Magic brings smile to CaroMont Health Park and Honey Hunters

Wilson Johnson has owned a Magic Johnson poster for 36 years.

He first hung a poster of his hero on his bedroom wall while a student at Charlotte's Myers Park High School. When Wilson Johnson made the move to Gastonia five years ago, so did the Magic Johnson poster.

"Every time I moved, it came with me," Johnson said Friday night of his prized possession.

The poster, which shows Magic Johnson in action while wearing the purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers, has a few small tears in the corners and what looks like possible coffee stains around the edges.

And now, finally after more than three decades of ownership, the poster has Magic Johnson's autograph.

"It's surreal," said Wilson Johnson, while wearing a Lakers' No. 32 Magic Johnson jersey along with purple Lakers' Converse Chuck Taylors. "Magic Johnson is the G.O.A.T. The Greatest of all Time."

Wilson Johnson started standing in line at 3 p.m. Friday for a chance to meet Magic Johnson at CaroMont Health Park before the Gastonia Honey Hunters took on the Lexington Legends from Kentucky.

Other fans, like Eric Hall of Dallas, arrived much earlier. Hall arrived at 11:30 a.m. even though gates to the park did not open until 5 p.m.

"It's Magic Johnson," Hall said. "How could you not want to meet him? He's a legend."

Hundreds of fans stood in line for the chance to meet Magic Johnson, who also came to the very first Honey Hunters game in their inaugural season last year. Johnson was in town for a meet and greet with fans at the request of his friend and Honey Hunters owner Brandon Bellamy.

"He's first class, all the way," Bellamy said of the NBA great.

Johnson didn't disappoint his fans. Karen Forsyth of Simpsonville, South Carolina, grew up near Magic Johnson in their hometown of Lansing, Michigan. She and her daughter, Chelsea Briggs, showed up wearing Michigan State gear, a tip of the hat to the team Johnson starred on in 1979, winning the national championship by beating an Indiana State team led by Larry Bird.

"He's such a hard worker," Forsyth said. "He cares about people, and he has a big smile."

Even baseball players fell under Magic Johnson's spell.

Honey Hunters pitcher Kaleb Bowman, who was born in 1997, the year after Magic Johnson retired for a second time, couldn't wait to meet Johnson.

"It's pretty sweet," said Bowman, who played for Appalachian State after high school in Virginia.

Magic Johnson even encouraged Bowman and a few of his teammates.

"Stay focused," Johnson told Bowman and a few other players. "The same thing that got you in first place, you got to stick with it. Stay disciplined."

The Honey Hunters ended their regular season Sunday, Sept. 11, but start playoff action Tuesday, Sept. 20.

A few of the Lexington Legends' players couldn't resist a chance to meet Johnson.

Legends infielder Montrell Marshall, who stands 6 feet 5 and weighs 260 pounds, brought along a baseball bat as he waited for his chance to meet the 6 foot 8 Johnson.

Asking Marshall if he was going to have Johnson autograph his baseball bat seemed like a reasonable question.

"Nah," answered Marshall, who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds out of South Gwinnett High School near Atlanta in 2014. "I'm fixing to go take batting practice.

"I need to use this tonight," said the Kentucky team's designated hitter for Friday night.

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-201-7016 or email him at kellis@gastongazette.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Magic Johnson brings smile to CaroMont Health Park and Honey Hunters