John H. Johnson bursts with pride when he talks about his famousnephew. Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia has become ahousehold name after winning the American League’s Cy YoungAward.

“I went to California and met him,” said Johnson, a McCombresident. “He’s down to earth. He was brought up in a goodhousehold.”

The household Johnson refers to belongs to his sister, EthelRufus, who is Sabathia’s grandmother. Johnson is a formerBrookhaven resident who played football at Alexander High School inthe late 1960s.

Sabathia became the fist Cleveland pitcher in 35 years to earnthe honor. He is the first black pitcher to win the Cy Young Awardsince Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets in 1985 and the first inthe American League since Oakland’s Vida Blue in 1971.

“That’s awesome to be mentioned with them,” said Sabathia. Herecently attended a meeting designated to foster ideas on how togenerate more interest in baseball among black children.

Carsten Charles (C.C.) Sabathia was drafted out of Hawaii in1998. After only 38 minor league outings, he cracked Cleveland’srotation in 2001, going 17-5 and winning The Sporting NewsAmerican League Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award. He was 21 yearsold and became the youngest AL hurler ever to win a division seriesgame.