The Woodward Alumni Hall of Fame Association
John R. Husman Inducted 2008 - Class of 1960
It was the top of the first for Jack and Ruth Chapman Husman. First son John Richmond Husman led the line-up. Siblings Tom, Jane, Sara and Nancy completed the Husman team. In the bottom of the third John left Raymer Elementary to join Whittier Elementary from the top of the fourth to the bottom of the eighth. He was being Boy Scout-ed too. The years at Woodward found the bases loaded for John R. Husman (Eagle Scout): basketball, baseball, bowling (four years of spare time), track, golf, cross-country, Engineering Society, and Latin Club (1956-1960A.D.), all while running with friends Lou Hibbs, Art House, Carlton Schroeder, and Mike Mason, and being coached by the best-Howard Phipps, Jim Wilusz, Don Martin, and Chuck Matthews.
After graduation it was on to team U.S. Navy. John's performance was electric (U.S. Navy Electronic Technician). No one could fault his technical skills. As a free agent he was picked up by Buckeye Cable System in Toledo to fill the Chief Engineer position. Nine years with the Union Oil Company of California, Chicago Refinery, as Electrical Foreman followed. In 1978 John returned to team Toledo
and began managerial duties with Unit Cast/National Castings and later The Blade. In 2005 John hit a homerun with John R. Husman Co., LLC(consulting). He is also currently serving his third six-year term as Civil Service Commissioner of Sylvania, Ohio.
Seventh inning stretch
Forty years ago John and Sandy started filling their own roster. First picks were daughters Michelle and Marianne, who rounded out the list with grandchildren Sophia, MacKenzie, Isabelle, Schuyler, Cole, Audrey, and a yet to be named future player.
John has been researching and writing, (published more than 75 articles and book reviews) about baseball history for more than 25 years. Along the way John became well acquainted with baseball legends Jim Creighton, Joe Start, "Old Hoss" Radbourn, "Doc" Adams, the Dark Blues, the Red Caps, the Kekiongas, the Mutuals, all of the Stockings(Red, White, Gray, and Brown), and of course the Mud Hens a.k.a. Toledo (Glass) Sox, who John chronicles as the team Historian. John has lectured nationally on nineteenth century baseball and has appeared on two PBS baseball documentaries. He is the recipient of the Moses Fleetwood Walker Hall of Fame Award, as well as the Henry Chadwick Ohio Historical Society Award. It is unknown whether he has ever nailed the 20 Original Rules on anyone's door.