Southeastern Oklahoma State University Athletics

Football, Baseball (1960-63)

Charlie Johnston was a two-sport athlete at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Charlie played quarterback for the Savage football team and pitched for the baseball team between 1960-63.

Johnston was born in Paducah, Texas on December 24, 1940. He graduated from Paducah High School in 1958 after an outstanding high school athletic career in the sports of football, baseball, basketball, and track.

This left handed quarterback found his way to Southeastern and played football for coach Melvin Brown, in 1960 and 1961, and Bob Thomas, in 1962 and 1963. On the diamond, Charlie pitched games under the direction of Bloomer Sullivan. Considered to be a quiet leader by his coaches, Johnston was admired by his teammates and was selected to the Oklahoma Collegiate Conference Team in 1963 for his performance on the football field.

His Southeastern coaching foundation proved invaluable to him when he entered the coaching profession where he excelled.

Charlie coached at Childress, Texas from 1968 until his retirement in 2001. His teams compiled a remarkable 113-17-3 (86.9 percent) in the decade of the 1970s. Childress advanced to the state finals or semifinals five-consecutive seasons (1975-79). Johnston still holds the state record for wins at one school.

Johnston retired from the sidelines in 2001 as the third-winningest high-school football coach in the state of Texas. His overall record of 314-94-8 trailed only G.A. Moore of Celina, and Gordon Wood of Brownwood. As of January of 2009 Johnston was in fourth place in the overall standings.

Charlie was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in Waco, Texas on May 1, 2004.

Charlie Johnston, throughout of years as an athlete, coach and educator excelled to a level that brings great honor to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The University honored him with membership in the Southeastern Oklahoma State Athletics Hall of Fame on February 14, 2009.