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| World, National and Local News and Commentary brought to you by CitiVU | ||
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| Rancho Cucamonga, California - Friday, July 25, 2008 | ||
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| PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL DOES HAVE A HEARTWith baseball salaries esclating and showing no signs of slowing, and teams showing an indifference to the fans, it is always of interest to find a story of a team helping one of its former star players.If you are LA Dodgers history buff or just a fan, you will remember the name "Sweet" Lou Johnson, a hero on the 1965 World Series Dodgers championship team. Since that time, he has faced many personal problems dealing with drugs and alcohol. In 1971, Johnson handed his championship ring to a Seattle drug dealer as collateral on a cocaine transaction. When he returned, the dealer and ring were gone. For 31 years, Johnson has been trying to recover it. But, that is only part of this story. Enter the LA Dodgers. Not long ago, the Dodgers on-site historian was alerted by a former employee that the ring was being sold on the internet - the price: $3,457, with only a two-day window for purchase. The Dodgers brass gave approval for the buy, and it was accomplished according to plan. Though the ring no longer fits Johnson's finger, "It doesn't matter", he said during a recent interview. "This is my life. My history." Though Johnson had lost his uniform and bat to drugs, he was now holding the most valuable item of all - his ring. As a follow-up, Johnson has worked for the Dodgers in their community relations department as a drug and alcohol counselor. So, can professional teams seem to be indifferent? Yes. Can teams show compassion? Yes. Just ask "Sweet" Lou. The Dodgers called it an "emotional connection." Maybe so, but it appears more of a connection between the team and the City of Los Angeles. PLAY BALL! Last Update: 2/12/2001 Art Arriaga is owner of Art's Pro Sports Apparel, a popular Internet Fan Shop located in Rancho Cucamonga. We've heard that he's a bit biased when it comes to USC. You can reach Art at artspro@cyberg8t.com | ||||
