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Lou Johnson
Lou Johnson
Lou Johnson
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Louis Brown Johnson (September 22, 1934 – October 1, 2020), nicknamed "Sweet Lou," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. Johnson's professional baseball career lasted for 17 seasons, and included 8 years in the majors: parts of 1960–1962 and 1965, and then the full seasons of 1966 through 1969. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).[1]

Key Information

Johnson did not establish himself as a big-league regular until he was almost 31 years old. He had trials with the Chicago Cubs (34 games played in 1960), Los Angeles Angels (only one appearance in 1961), and Milwaukee Braves (61 games in 1962). Only after he was summoned to the Los Angeles Dodgers from Triple-A Spokane, when the Dodgers lost regular outfielder Tommy Davis to a broken ankle on May 1, 1965, did Johnson earn a foothold in the major leagues.[2] He became the Dodgers' regular left fielder during their 1965 world championship season, started over 60 games in both left and right fields in 1966 (during which the Dodgers captured their second straight National League pennant), and started another 85 games in the Dodger outfield in 1967.[1]

He remained in the majors for two more years as a reserve player with to the Cubs, Cleveland Indians and California Angels. Later in life, he was employed by the Dodgers' Community Relations Department.[3]

Early life

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Johnson was born on September 22, 1934, in Lexington, Kentucky, to Sidney Bell and Shirley Johnson. He had three brothers and one sister.[4]

Johnson attended Dunbar High School in Lexington where he played both basketball and baseball.[4] He wanted to play basketball at the University of Kentucky under coach Adolph Rupp. However, at the time, not only were members of the Southeastern Conference (of which Kentucky is an affiliate) not recruiting black athletes, most of its universities were segregated.[5]

Early baseball career

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Johnson was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1953. After moving around from team to team in the minor leagues for about eight years, he made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs in 1960.[1] The Cubs traded Johnson to the Los Angeles Angels for Jim McAnany on April 1, 1961. In 1962, he played in 61 games for the Milwaukee Braves. However, after that, the Braves traded Johnson to the Detroit Tigers system, which sent him back to the minor leagues for the 1963 and '64 seasons. Then they traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the pitcher Larry Sherry.[6]

Los Angeles Dodgers

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Johnson made it back to the major leagues to stay for a stretch beginning in 1965 with the Dodgers when a broken ankle in early May sidelined Tommy Davis, their regular left fielder, for the remainder of the season.[7] Johnson filled in for Davis, playing in 130 games for the Dodgers that season, recording a .260 batting average, 57 runs scored, and 58 runs batted in (RBIs).[1]

On September 9, 1965, Johnson also scored the only run for the Dodgers in Sandy Koufax's perfect game against the Chicago Cubs; he walked in the 5th, went to second base on a sacrifice bunt, stole third base, and then scored on a throwing error by Cubs' catcher Chris Krug. Johnson also doubled in the 7th, for the only hit off Cubs pitcher Bob Hendley, making Johnson the only player in MLB history to reach base for either team in a nine-inning game.[8]

The Dodgers made it to the 1965 World Series versus the Minnesota Twins, and in this Series, Johnson had eight hits, including two home runs, the second one being the game-winning one in the decisive seventh game.[9]

With Tommy Davis back in left field, and Willie Davis in center field, Johnson played mostly in right field in 1966. Frequently batting third in the order, right ahead of tough hitter Tommy Davis, Johnson set career highs by playing in 152 games, getting 526 at-bats, 143 hits, 17 home runs, scoring 71 runs, with 73 RBIs. Johnson's batting average that season was .272, and the Dodgers made it to the World Series once again.[1]

This was also Koufax's last year in baseball before retiring due to severe arthritis and constant pain in his pitching arm that had plagued him for over three seasons. In the 1966 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, the Dodgers' offense hit rock-bottom, with the team getting shut out three times, and only scoring two runs in the four games.[10] Johnson finished the series with four hits in 15 at-bats and flew out to Paul Blair for the final out of the Series.[1]

Later baseball years

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From this point on, Johnson's major league career rapidly wound down, as he broke his leg sliding into Joe Torre and played in just 104 games for the Dodgers in 1967, a combined 127 for the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians in 1968, and just 67 for the California Angels in 1969, with only a .203 batting average. He retired from baseball at the end of the 1969 season, at the age of 35.[1]

In his approximately eight-year-long Major League career, Johnson posted a .258 overall average with 48 home runs and 232 RBI in 677 games played. Defensively, he recorded a .981 fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions.[1]

Personal life

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Johnson and his wife, Sarah, had three children: Lauren, Carlton, and Quinton. He died on October 1, 2020, after a period of ill-health.[11] He was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery.[12]

References

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Further reading

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Lou Johnson

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Lou Johnson is an American former professional baseball outfielder best known for his instrumental contributions to the Los Angeles Dodgers' 1965 World Series championship victory. Nicknamed "Sweet Lou," he provided a major spark for the team after being recalled from the minor leagues in May of that year to replace the injured Tommy Davis in the outfield, delivering key hits throughout the season and postseason. Johnson's most memorable moments came during the 1965 campaign and World Series against the Minnesota Twins. He hit the go-ahead solo home run leading off the fourth inning in Game 7 to help secure the Dodgers' title, and he also scored the only run in Sandy Koufax's perfect game earlier in September. Across his eight-season Major League career from 1960 to 1969, he played for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians. Born Louis Brown Johnson on September 22, 1934, in Lexington, Kentucky, he overcame significant personal challenges including drug addiction after his playing days ended. He later regained stability with support from fellow player Don Newcombe and devoted more than 40 years to the Dodgers organization in community relations, where he was celebrated for his positive spirit and outreach efforts. Johnson passed away on October 1, 2020.

Early life

Lou Johnson was born Louis Brown Johnson on September 22, 1934, in Lexington, Kentucky. Details about his family background, upbringing, and early years before entering professional baseball are not extensively documented in available sources.

Music career

Early groups and recordings

Lou Johnson first recorded as a member of the gospel vocal group the Zionettes, which he formed and which released material on Simpson Records, achieving some local success in Brooklyn. He subsequently organized a secular vocal group known as the Coanjos, featuring Tresia Cleveland and Ann Gissendammer, and the trio recorded the track "Dance the Boomerang" before Cleveland and Gissendammer departed to form the Soul Sisters. In 1962 Johnson transitioned to a solo career by signing with Bigtop Records, a label affiliated with the Hill & Range publishing company in New York's Brill Building. His debut solo single that year paired "Thank You Anyway (Mr. D.J.)" with "If I Never Get to Love You" on the B-side, the latter composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Johnson followed with another 1962 release, "You Better Let Him Go". These early solo recordings on Bigtop marked his initial professional steps in secular music ahead of his major collaborations with Bacharach and David.

Breakthrough with Burt Bacharach and Hal David

Lou Johnson's breakthrough in the music industry came through his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David, who wrote several key songs for him in the early 1960s. These recordings marked his most prominent work as a recording artist and introduced some of Bacharach and David's early compositions to the public. His first single with the team was "Reach Out for Me," released in 1963, which peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1964, Johnson recorded "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me," which reached No. 49 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track featured backing vocals by Doris Troy, Dee Dee Warwick, and Cissy Houston. Also in 1964, he released "Message to Martha (Kentucky Bluebird)," which peaked at No. 36 on the UK Singles Chart. The following year, Johnson had another Bacharach-David single with "A Time to Love – A Time to Cry (Petite Fleur)," peaking at No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100. These songs were frequently the original recordings of compositions that later achieved greater commercial success when re-recorded by other artists, particularly Dionne Warwick. Johnson's interpretations helped establish his reputation in soul music during this period.

1960s–1970s albums and singles

Following his earlier work with Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Lou Johnson shifted toward Southern soul with his debut album Sweet Southern Soul, released in 1969 on Cotillion Records, an Atlantic subsidiary. Produced by Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the album featured the Muscle Shoals rhythm section, with horn and string arrangements by Arif Mardin, blending originals and covers in a classic late-1960s Southern soul style. Although it has gained some recognition among soul collectors for its authentic sound, the album achieved no commercial success and received mixed contemporary assessments as solid but average. Johnson followed with his second album With You in Mind in 1971 on Volt Records, a Stax subsidiary. Produced by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn in New Orleans, with recordings at Jazz City and Reflection Sound studios, the album presented a raw, earthy Southern soul approach that highlighted the physical strength and intimacy in Johnson's vocals. Retrospective reviews have praised its emotional depth and fit with Johnson's style, yet it was a commercial failure that marked the effective end of his recording career in the major-label era. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Johnson issued additional singles with no major chart impact, including a version of "Walk On By" co-produced by Allen Toussaint in 1966 on Big Top Records and others such as "Frisco Here I Come" from the Volt period in 1971. These releases, along with tracks like "Anytime" from 1966, further explored soul and R&B directions but failed to regain commercial momentum.

Later performances and nightclub work

Following the decline of his recording career, Lou Johnson relocated to Orange County, California, where he became a nightclub entertainer. He performed regularly on the nightclub circuit in the Los Angeles area, establishing himself as a fixture in local venues. Johnson also occasionally sang with a latter-day version of The Ink Spots, contributing to various incarnations of the group during this period. These live engagements allowed him to continue performing for audiences well after his 1960s breakthrough, maintaining a presence in the entertainment scene through nightclub work and group appearances. No television or media appearances as a singer or soundtrack contributions are documented for Lou Johnson, the former baseball player and subject of this article. The previous content in this section referred to a different individual, Lou Johnson (soul singer). After retiring from baseball following the 1969 season, Lou Johnson faced significant personal challenges, including drug addiction to cocaine and amphetamines that had begun during his playing career. He lost his 1965 World Series ring after using it as collateral with a drug dealer. With the support of former Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe, who was then the team's director of community affairs, Johnson achieved sobriety through treatment at a center in Arizona. He subsequently joined the Los Angeles Dodgers' community relations department, where he served for more than 40 years (including his playing tenure with the team) as an ambassador. In this role, he made community appearances, shared his story of addiction and recovery, and was known for his positive spirit and outreach efforts. He also acted as an ambassador for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Johnson died on October 1, 2020, after a period of ill health. No cause of death was publicly disclosed.
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