A movie and book were made about LeFlore's rise to the major leagues after being an inmate at the Jackson State Penitentiary.

One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story was a made-for-television movie starring LeVar Burton that aired on CBS in 1978.

Although his parents John and Georgia LeFlore were married, his father was an unemployed alcoholic who rarely took part in family life.

His mother was a hard-working nurses' aide who held the family together financially and physically, even feeding Ron while he was a heroin addict and small-time drug dealer.

He dropped out of school and spent many nights breaking into the Stroh's Brewery on Gratiot Avenue, stealing beer and getting drunk with friends.

[2] Assigned to the Clinton Pilots in the Class A Midwest League, and managed by Jim Leyland, LeFlore hit .277.

LeFlore split time in center field in 1974 with veteran Tiger Mickey Stanley before taking over as the starter in 1975.

But 1978 may have been his career year, when he led the league in singles (153), runs scored (126) and stolen bases (68), and finished second in hits (198), plate appearances (741) and at bats (666).

After the 1979 season, in which he hit .300 and stole 78 bases, LeFlore was traded to the Montreal Expos for Dan Schatzeder on December 7.

[6] In 1980, he came closest to playoff action as he stole a career-high 97 bases (becoming the first player to lead both leagues in steals) to help the Expos finish the season in second place, only a game behind the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Soon afterward, he revealed that he was actually four years older than he had previously admitted, possibly giving some explanation for his rapid decline with the White Sox.

[2][12] He attended the five-week course after which top graduates are assigned to whatever openings exist on the minor league level, hoping to make it back to the majors eventually as an umpire, but barely missed his opportunity.

[citation needed] On September 27, 1999, LeFlore was arrested at the closing ceremonies of Tiger Stadium for unpaid child support for his adult daughter and her mother.