"Lou Piniella's back in 1976, and all the world's happy. Whenever Sweet Lou's around, he brings a smile to everyone's face, for here's one of baseball's really good guys.
That's why so many people felt for him in that washout year of 1975 when an inner-ear ailment shelved him for a good part of the season, and he was never able to get going. But now, with a pattern of hitting .300 every other year since 1970, he's ready to put the bat to the ball again in the professional hitting style he's so familiar with.
Lou was Rookie of the Year with the Royals in 1969, and the handsome Floridian has charmed baseball ever since. With illness behind him, he's ready to reconquer the game, and all who know him - or will know him - will be happy to know he's got his act back together."
-The New York Yankees Official 1976 Yearbook
"An inner ear ailment, leading to surgery, was the downfall of Lou's 1975 season after he had produced the highest batting average in the American League East in 1974. He was never able to get his year in motion, even upon on his return to the Yankees on July 6.
Lou has batted over .300 three times in his career. He was the American League's Rookie of the Year at the age of 26 with the expansion Royals in 1969. They had obtained him from Seattle for ex-Yankee Steve Whitaker. Lou went on to become the all-time Royals leader in games, at-bats, hits, doubles, triples, total bases and runs batted in before he was traded.
Originally signed for Cleveland in 1962 by ex-Yankee Spud Chandler, Lou was drafted by Washington later that year, traded to Baltimore in 1964 and back to Cleveland in 1966.
A member of the 1972 All-Star team, Lou is one of the most popular players to ever wear the Yankee uniform. He's a fierce competitor on the field, hence his nickname, Sweet Lou.
He has worked as an investment banker in past off-seasons."
-1976 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
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