Athelete of the Week

Ben Johnstone Height: 6'0" Position: Center field Hometown: Atlanta, Ga. Major: Psychology Started playing at: age 5 Idol: "Back in the old days, the Braves had Dale Murphy. He was kind of a hometown hero." Best Yale ../sports moment: "Last year in the Harvard series, we were down late in the game. They walked me intentionally to get to our second baseman. He came up and hit a grand slam." Astroturf vs. grass: "Grass all the way" Favorite major league team: Atlanta Braves Favorite Music: "Slow, cheesy country"

Johnstone has become a player the Elis can depend on in tight situations. In a doubleheader against Cornell on Fri., Apr. 2, Johnstone went five for eight with four RBI, including a game-winning two-run single in the second game. He is also a threat in the outfield, boasting a .970 fielding percentage.

Johnstone owes a lot of his success to his superior speed. "I don't know how good a ballplayer I'd be if I wasn't fast," he joked. Impressive showings on the basepaths, such as the Tues., Mar. 9 game against Southwest Texas State in which he stole three bases, have stemmed from
his careful study of opposing team's pitchers. "Everyone says you steal bases off pitchers, not catchers," he said. "I look for pitchers who are slow to the plate." He said that stealing bases is not just a function of speed. "I really think about counts,
what kind of pitches the pitcher is likely to throw," he said.

Batting in the leadoff position has allowed Johnstone to utilize many of his strongest abilities. "I'm sort of a prototypical leadoff hitter," he said. "I don't show much power; I get hits and get on base. I hit for average." He played ball this past summer in the Cape Cod League, a premier amateur college league watched closely by major league scouts. The league uses wooden bats, which Johnstone prefers to the metal bats used in regular college baseball. "I love hitting with wood. It really separates the guys who know what they're doing from
the guys who go up there and swing," Johnstone said.

Johnstone is a player in the mold of classics, able to play on instinct while at the same time using his head to analyze the game around him. Originally a shortstop, Johnstone switched to center field in his final year of high school because he realized that his speed would be better suited to the outfield. Johnstone also played football in high school and his first two years at Yale, as a wide receiver, but now the only balls he chases down are in the outfield.

Faith occupies a large part of Johnstone's life outside baseball. He has managed to integrate religion and baseball flawlessly, organizing a Christian fellowship group for fellow baseball and football players. "My spiritual life is a big part of my life," he said. "It's nice to have other guys who go through the same things I do."

Johnstone's faith and humility in a sport that is dominated on the highest level by salary-obsessed professionals is impressive. His unique outlook coupled with his batting average make Johnstone the complete baseball package.

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