Former MLB star Howard Johnson opens new baseball facility in Franklin

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WSMV) - Howard Johnson, known best for his long, successful career with the New York Mets, reopened his massive baseball facility on Friday in Franklin.

Johnson and his staff cut the ribbon on the new Showtime Sports Academy on Seaboard Lane, along with dozens of young players and their families on Friday, Nov. 1. Salsa Franklin Taco’s food truck was brought in to provide food, and young ballplayers were able to jump in the new cages and get some swings in.

The facility underwent a complete overhaul over the past month, trading traditional, fenced-in batting stalls for spacious hitting areas for instruction sectioned off by netting. The warehouse now resembles a big league hitting space suitable for Spring Training.

Johnson is the owner of Showtime Sports Academy, and his son, Glen is the general manager, running the day-to-day operations for the program. Both men are also available for instruction, with Howard specializing in hitting, and Glen providing both hitting and fielding lessons for young ballplayers.

Showtime brings an impressive staff to the plate, with a handful of former professional ballplayers available for pitching, hitting, and fielding instruction. Several women with extensive softball resumes are also available to help young girls hone their skills.

The revamped hitting areas now offer Rapsodo monitors, the latest in baseball technology which instantly tracks hitting data like exit velocity, launch angle, and distance. Rapsodo can also be a useful tool for pitchers as it reads the ball’s true spin, release angle, and velocity.

The facility hosts various camps and clinics throughout the year, but also has spaces available to rent for birthday parties or other events.

For more information on the academy or to book some professional instruction, visit their website here.

During his 14 years in the big leagues, Johnson played for the Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, and the Chicago Cubs. After winning the World Series with the Tigers in his first full season under Sparky Anderson in 1984, Johnson went on to make a name for himself in New York.

Over nine seasons with the Mets, Johnson would win another ring in 1986, and make two All-Star squads in 1989 and 1991, also leading the league in home runs (38) and RBIs (117) in 1991. Johnson was inducted into the Mets’ Hall of Fame in 2023.

Showtime Sports Academy is located at 119 Seaboard Lane, Suite 402, in Franklin, Tennessee.