Alexander Johnson (December 7, 1942 – February 28, 2015) was an American professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1964 to 1976, for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, California Angels, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers.

[3] Johnson soon earned a call back up to the majors as he batted .316 with 21 home runs and 71 RBIs in just over half a season with Arkansas.

That October, the Phillies traded Johnson, Pat Corrales and Art Mahaffey to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bill White, Dick Groat and Bob Uecker.

Along with Curt Flood in center, the Cardinals boasted one of the top young outfields in the National League heading into the 1966 season.

[6] However, Johnson batted just .186 with two home runs and six RBIs through May 17 when he was sent down to the Tulsa Oilers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League (PCL).

[7] Johnson returned to the Cardinals in 1967, batting .223 with one home run and twelve RBIs mostly as a pinch hitter and back up for Roger Maris in right field.

Mack Jones, a left-handed hitter acquired from the Atlanta Braves shortly before Johnson, was the early favorite to inherit the left field job.

[1] Despite his hitting prowess, Johnson was a defensive liability as he led National League outfielders in errors both seasons in Cincinnati.

In need of pitching, and with outfield prospect Bernie Carbo ready to jump to the majors, the Reds dealt Johnson and utility infielder Chico Ruiz to the California Angels for Pedro Borbón, Jim McGlothlin, and Vern Geishert.

[14] Johnson became the subject of some controversy toward the end of his first season in California when he was fined by Angels manager Lefty Phillips for not running out a grounder.

On June 4, he was pulled in the first inning of a 10–1 loss to the Red Sox when he failed to run all the way to first base on a routine ground ball.

[16] After being replaced by Tony González in left field, Johnson intimated that some of his battles with teammates and management were racially motivated.

In June, after a potential trade deadline deal with the Milwaukee Brewers for Tommy Harper fell through, Johnson told reporters that he needed to get out of California, and that "playing in hell" would be an improvement.

"[23] Marvin Miller, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, immediately filed a grievance against the Angels on Johnson's behalf claiming that Walsh failed to properly outline the basis for the suspension in specific terms.

When a meeting between Miller and the Owners' Players' Relations committee on July 21 failed to resolve the grievance, it went to an independent arbitrator.

[27] On August 10, Phillips, the Angels' coaches and six players (including team captain Jim Fregosi) met with Kuhn's labor advisor John Gaherin,[28] who was part of the three-man arbitration panel attempting to resolve the case along with Miller and professional Arbitrator Lewis Gill of the National Labor Relations Board.

[29] The Angels' case against Johnson hit a snag on September 7, when the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Walsh had lied about the gun incident with Ruiz, and ordered that the weapon be concealed.

Phillips and Walsh were both fired,[32] Ruiz was released, and Johnson was traded to the Cleveland Indians with Jerry Moses for Vada Pinson, Alan Foster, and Frank Baker.

Johnson appeared to be rebounding when he learned that Phillips, who had been rehired by the Angels as a scout, had had a fatal asthma attack on June 12.

[37] However, with the American League's institution of the designated hitter rule in 1973, Johnson was able to provide strong offensive production for the Rangers without hindering his team defensively, and soon won over his new manager.

Johnson signed with his hometown Detroit Tigers for the 1976 season,[43] and enjoyed something of a resurgent year as he batted .268 with six home runs and 45 RBIs as his team's everyday left fielder.