October is not only the season of witches and ghosts, but also the finale of baseball, with the World Series starting on October 25th.  That’s why we thought it was a good month to introduce Mrs. Mary Johnson, who was the first female African American Little League Coach in Philadelphia.  Mary was born in Virginia to Blanche and Lynch Braxton.   When she was twelve, the family moved to Philadelphia. Mary was introduced to her future husband, John, by Evelyn Adams, the mother of our September Resident of the Month, Stanford, who lived in the same apartment building. They were married in John’s brother’s house in 1954, and together raised two sons, Calvin and Norman.  The men in the family were all into sports, and it was the love of baseball that led her two sons and their friends on Chancellor Street to plead with “Miss Mary” to start up a team.  This led to the birth of the Tigers, which she coached and managed from 1964 to 1971.  Of his mother’s coaching style, Calvin said, “She freelanced.  She could hit the ball and she had the respect of the boys.” In 1965, “Miss Mary” started the Tigers basketball team at the 52nd Street Y.  Mary’s son, Norman, shared that both he and Calvin went on to coach teams themselves, and have won several championship trophies between them.  Mary’s words of advice:  “Have respect, both for yourself and for others.”