MSGA Past President Edward A. Johnston passed away on November 17, 2015. Ed, a longtime member of the Baltimore CC was the MSGA President in 1968 at which time he was a member of the Country Club of Maryland. Ed also served as President of the Middle Atlantic Golf Association in 1982.
Ed deserves credit for promoting to the USGA the idea of a State Team Championship. Originally conducted as one time deal during the centennial year of the USGA, the concept gained traction and became a bi-annual event for Men and Women.
His distinguished playing career began with a victory in the 1938 Baltimore City Junior Open. Along the way he won his share of tournaments including the MSGA Junior Championship in 1942, and qualified for every United States Golf Association event for which he has been eligible. His best USGA efforts were in the U.S. Amateur, a championship for which he qualified 11 times and one in which he reached the fourth round once, and the third round another time. Johnston won seven club championships as a member of the Country Club of Maryland and another club title at Baltimore Country Club. Ed was inducted into the MAGA Hall of Fame in 1991. He played competitive amateur golf during a period of resurgence in amateur golf that saw the likes of William Hyndmann III, William C. Campbell, and Ralph Bogart and Bobby Brownell. Golf will never see the likes of that generation of career amateur golfers again. Ed was 94.
Visitation will be at the Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, 6500 York Road, (at Overbrook Road) Baltimore, MD 21212 on Friday from 10:00 to 11:30 AM. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:30 AM. Interment to follow at Loudon Park Cemetery. BALTIMORE SUN OBITUARY