Lights at Fitzgerald Stadium glowed last night as the community gathered to honor 19-year-old Carter “Tater” Johnson, the former Stevens High School and Post 22 outfielder who was killed in last week’s Iowa Lakes Community College baseball team bus crash.
Coaches, teammates and friends spent the day writing messages to the Johnson family, remembering him as a selfless teammate whose energy and spirit lifted everyone around him. Former Post 22 coach Kelvin Torve noted the large turnout as a sign of the impact Johnson had on the area.
Across the region, baseball fields in Sturgis, Spearfish and Watertown turned on their lights in tribute. Even the Minnesota Twins illuminated Target Field in blue and yellow to honor him. Governor Larry Rhoden also proclaimed February 16, 2026, as ‘Carter “Tater” Johnson Day’ statewide, and Iowa Lakes Community College established a memorial scholarship in his name.
Funeral services for Johnson are set for Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Rimrock Evangelical Free Church, with burial at Mountain View Cemetery. Attendees are asked to wear baby blue in his memory.
Comments