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| Introduction |
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| The Off Season |
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| April & May |
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| Page 1 |
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| Page 2 |
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| Page 3 |
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| June |
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| July |
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| August |
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| September |
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| October |
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| April & May |
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Johnson was a veteran outfielder who had played at previous times in the major leagues with the Angels, Braves and Cubs, but had never been able to stay there for long. In April, 1964, the Dodgers had traded pitcher Larry Sherry to the Tigers and in return, had received Johnson. Johnson spent the entire 1964 season at Spokane but was never promoted to the major league team. He was not even invited to the 1965 spring training major league camp as a non-roster player. Now Johnson had his opportunity. How important did Sweet Lou become to the 1965 Dodger club? Five months later in the victorious Dodger clubhouse on the day the club clinched the National League pennant, Sandy Koufax said it best, “Johnson’s the guy. If it hadn’t been for the job he did, we might not be here today”.1
Johnson’s first game as a Dodger was in a modest role, playing the 9th inning in place of left fielder Al Ferrara as Koufax defeated the Reds, 4-2. His expected role was to play late inning defense, pinch-hit against left handers, pinch-run, be the extra outfielder and make the occasional start.
On May 10th, the Dodgers started a homestand against the Astros, but Ferrara, the man who replaced Tommy Davis had to be replaced himself in the lineup because of a broken finger. And role player Lou Johnson suddenly got a leading role. Walter Alston showed great confidence in Johnson and hit him fourth in the lineup. Johnson did little in the first nine innings and the two teams were tied, 2-2 in the 10th inning. With two out, the legend of Lou Johnson began. He singled, stole second, went to third on an overthrow and then scored the winning run when Fairly singled. And that was just the start. The next night, Johnson pinch-hit and singled and the Dodgers won. On May 13, 1965, Johnson was back in the starting lineup. He hit a solo home run in the second inning to give Sandy Koufax the lead, but it was in the fifth inning where everyone got a scare.
Bob Bruce, a hard throwing right hander for Houston, struck Johnson in the middle of the forehead with a pitch. Fortunately, for Johnson, he was wearing a strong protective helmet as the pitch virtually shattered the helmet. The helmet was later reviewed in the press box. It was described as having “a dent as big as a baseball.”2 The Sporting News ran a photo of the broken helmet in their May 29th edition. Bob Hunter wrote in The Sporting News, “It (the baseball) struck him squarely between the eyes, but on the helmet, where it broke through the fiber shell, the imprint of the seams of the baseball could be clearly seen. Team doctor Robert Woods said, “Had it not been for the protective fiber helmet, he (Johnson) would have been killed.3 Johnson went into the hospital for three days for observation, but when pronounced fit to play, he was back in the lineup.
Without Tommy Davis and now Johnson, the Dodgers’ offense learned to do a lot with a little. On May 15th, the Chicago Cubs’ Dick Ellsworth was leading 1-0 in the eighth inning and had not yet allowed a hit to the Dodgers. Ferrara was called on to hit by Alston, and despite a recent recovery from a broken finger, hit a three-run home run to win the game. “I was going to use Drysdale,” said Alston.4 “Before the game, Ferrara told me he wanted to play, but the doctor said it would be taking a chance and his recovery could be delayed by another 10 days. However, when you’re desperate, you’re not quite as merciful, so I forgot what the doctor said,” said Alston. It was only Ferrara’s second major league home run, but it came in the right time and the right place and the Dodgers won 3-1. Everyone on the club had to make a contribution. The next day, Don Drysdale was leading 2-1 in the ninth inning when the Cubs tied the game. Not a problem. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Drysdale doubled to center off Cub reliever Lindy McDaniel. Two hitters later, Parker singled to center, and it was Drysdale who scored the winning run to give himself the win.
May 17th was an unusual game and not because it was the Dodgers’ first game ever played indoors in the Houston Astrodome. Lewis Carlisle made his pilot debut for the Dodgers by taking over the Dodger Electra controls.5 Fans in Los Angeles had a treat as the game was televised back to Los Angeles. In the early 1960’s, the Dodgers rarely televised games that did not originate in San Francisco. The Houston Astrodome had opened that season for the Astros, a domed stadium necessary for the heat and humidity in Houston. Baseball fans marveled at the sight of baseball being played inside a covered stadium with a Texas sized scoreboard and message board. Sandy Koufax said of the Astrodome, “I’ve never heard ballplayers talk about a park as they have about this one. I’m surprised they didn’t build a motel for the visiting teams right inside the park.”6
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Dodger outfielder Lou Johnson |
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Dodger outfielder Al Ferrara |
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