Arizona cancels plans to honor Randy Johnson along highway named for fallen soldier

Marc Lancaster

Arizona cancels plans to honor Randy Johnson along highway named for fallen soldier image

It probably sounded like a natural political photo op at the outset: Randy Johnson, standing by a temporary sign honoring his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, alongside State Route 51 in Arizona.

That was the plan for a ceremony to be held Friday, but it won't happen.

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In 2003, the state named SR 51 after Army Pfc. Lori Piestewa, who was killed that year in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her family called the proposed Johnson signage an "affront" to Piestewa's memory and all veterans, and the Diamondbacks and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday night they were scrapping the idea.

"Johnson has made numerous trips overseas to visit troops with the USO and is working to fund two Wounded Warriors to attend his induction ceremony into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown," the team said in a release, via The Arizona Republic. "Given this commitment, Johnson did not feel comfortable moving forward with the event nor did the D-backs or any of the other parties involved."

The governor's office released a statement saying Ducey had reached out to the Piestewa family to express his "regret for the misunderstanding."

"Our intent was never to disrespect or diminish Lori Piestewa or her service and sacrifice -- but rather to ceremonially and temporarily pay tribute to Randy Johnson as he becomes the first Arizona Diamondback to be inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame," the statement read in part.

Johnson wore No. 51 during his two stints with the Diamondbacks over the course of a 22-year major league career. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., on July 26.

Marc Lancaster

Marc Lancaster Photo

Marc Lancaster joined The Sporting News in 2022 after working closely with TSN for five years as an editor for the company now known as Stats Perform. He previously worked as an editor at The Washington Times, AOL’s FanHouse.com and the old CNNSportsIllustrated.com, and as a beat writer covering the Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, and University of Georgia football and women’s basketball. A Georgia graduate, he has been a Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2013.