The name Brad Lawson is synonymous with success on not only the local scholastic diamond and the area amateur sandlots as well, but at Youngstown State University where he helped Head Coach Dom Rosselli's squad to a most impressive four-year mark of 84-39.
A graduate of nearby Boardman High School, he played for the Penguins from 1968-71, earning four letters and etching his name into the Penguin record books as he set the standard offensively by which future Penguin baseball Hall of Famers would be judged.
A 1972 graduate of YSU (he earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration), he was a teammate for three seasons of another of this year's honorees, Lou "Chip" Zitello, Lawson was a line drive hitter who still ranks in the top 10 in no less than 10 offensive categories, he is still listed in the top 15 in 13 hitting departments.
With seven triples in his collegiate career, he is still the team leader in that category while he still ranks second in most stolen bases in a season (22) and thefts in a career (73) as well. His 30 runs scored in a season places his third on the list in that category while his 88 runs scored in a career is third on the list as well.
He was a player that gave 110 percent all of the time, both on and off the field and gives credence to the old theory that the great players continue to have the great work ethic, trying to improve their game each and every time that they step foot on the playing field.
His 420 at bats as a Penguin still ranks him fifth in that category while his 136 hits places him in sixth place on the all-time hit ladder. The 136 hits that he produced off of his bat came in 127 games that the team played during his career represents an average of better than a hit a game and that is one statistic that any coach would love to have in a player.
He also ranks eighth in highest season batting average (.414) while his .324 career batting mark places him ninth in the aforementioned category. His 41 hits are still ninth on the all-time list while he is 10th in both slugging percentage in a season (.602) an most total bases in a season (65), ranking 11th with 131 at bats in a single season.
He was employed in the sales department of WKBN Radio/TV upon graduation, and currently resides in Richmond, Va., working for W.T.V.R. Radio in a similar capacity.
