Matthew Johnson Interview | Jackie Robinson Real Gone, Baseball, Poetry & the Power of Story

Welcome to a new edition of the Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino series. On this episode, we talk with writer, poet, baseball historian, former sports journalist, and communications professional Matthew Johnson about his upcoming 2026 poetry collection, Jackie Robinson Real Gone, and the fascinating intersection of baseball, literature, history, faith, and the written word.Matthew's love of poetry and baseball runs deep. His upcoming collection draws inspiration from the legendary Jackie Robinson, while reflecting the literary and cultural influences that have shaped his own voice as a writer.Among his many professional pursuits, Matthew has worked as a freelance editor and served as a teaching assistant and tutor in American Literature and English Studies. He currently works in communications within higher education.A native of New Rochelle, New York, and raised in Stratford, Connecticut, Matthew now calls Greensboro, North Carolina home.His literary influences include some of America's most important writers and poets, including Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer, Carl Sandburg, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain. His passion for baseball provides another powerful lens through which he explores American history, culture, identity, perseverance, and the human experience.Faith also plays an important role in his creative life, informing the themes, values, and stories that emerge through his poetry and writing.In this conversation, we explore Jackie Robinson Real Gone, the legacy of Jackie Robinson, Matthew's love of baseball, poetry as a form of storytelling, American literature, his career in journalism and communications, his literary influences, faith, and what drives him to keep writing.This is a conversation about baseball, poetry, history, literature, faith, and the people and stories that continue to shape America.If you love Jackie Robinson, baseball history, poetry, American literature, sports writing, or great personal stories, this is an interview worth spending some time with.We cover all of this and more. Enjoy the interview.More Matthew JohnsonMatthew Johnson Poetry — Official WebsiteFor More Famous Interviews: Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgi6GpDDDrc_PgOzaERGbLQ Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-with-joe-dimino/id1660256991Subscribe via Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7j92QDS13LXgajPt80X2dhThe Home of Famous Interviews: http://famousinterviewswithjoedimino.blogspot.com/Contribute to Famous Interviews via PayPal:                    https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_b Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.