Lou Johnson

Infobox MLB retired
name = Lou Johnson
bgcolor1 =
textcolor1 =
bgcolor2 =
textcolor2 =


width =
caption =
position = Outfielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1934|9|22
deathdate =
bats =Right
throws = Right
debutdate =April 17
debutyear =1960
debutteam =Chicago Cubs
finaldate =September 6
finalyear =1969
finalteam =California Angels
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value =.258
stat2label =Home runs
stat2value =48
stat3label =Runs batted in
stat3value =232
teams =
*Chicago Cubs (1960)
*Los Angeles Angels (1961)
*Minnesota Twins (1962)
*Los Angeles Dodgers (1965-1967)
*Chicago Cubs (1968)
*Cleveland Indians (1968)
*California Angels (1969)
highlights =
*1965 World Series Championship
*Participated in 1966 World Series

Louis Brown (Lou) Johnson (born September 22, 1934 in Lexington, Kentucky), nicknamed "Sweet Lou" and "Slick", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1960 through 1969, Johnson played for the Chicago Cubs (1960, 1968), Los Angeles Angels (1961), Milwaukee Braves (1962), Los Angeles Dodgers (1965-67), Cleveland Indians (1968) and California Angels (1969). He batted and threw right handed.

A star in basketball as well as baseball in high school, Johnson dreamt of playing at the University of Kentucky under legendary coach Adolph Rupp. However, at the time, members of the Southeastern Conference (of which Kentucky is an affiliate) weren't recruiting black athletes; some schools didn't even allow black students to enroll. [http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/rupp.html#evidencepro]

Johnson was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1953. After kicking around in the minor leagues for a decade, Johnson finally made it into the major leagues for good in 1965 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after a broken ankle in early May sidelined regular left fielder Tommy Davis for the remainder of the season. In that season he scored the only run in Sandy Koufax's perfect game when he walked, went to second base on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored on a throwing error by Chicago Cubs catcher Chris Krug. In the 1965 World Series, Johnson hit two home runs, including the game winner in the clinching Game Seven.

In an eight-season career, Johnson posted a .258 average with 48 home runs and 232 RBI in 677 games.

Today, Sweet Lou is an integral part of the Dodgers’ Community Relations efforts and amember of the Dodgers Speakers’ Bureau, while remaining active with various charitiesin Southern California and nationally, as well.

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/J/Johnson_Lou.stm Baseball Library] - profile
*baseball-reference|id=j/johnslo01