John Young, American baseball player, Died at 67

  Sports

John Thomas Young was born on February 9, 1949, and died on May 8, 2016.

He was an American professional baseball player.

John also scouted and worked in the front office.

In 1971, he played in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers .

Young founded Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI), a youth baseball program aimed at increasing participation among African Americans in baseball.

The Cincinnati Reds drafted Young in the 27th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.

Preferably than sign the Reds, Young chose to enroll at Chapman College, where he played for the school’s baseball team.

John was selected again in the first round, with the 16th overall selection, of the 1969 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers, at which time he signed.

Young played two games in Major League Baseball at first base for the Detroit Tigers in 1971, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run batted in.

Following the 1974 season, the Tigers sold Young to the St. Louis Cardinals for Ike Brookens.

In 1989, he organized 12 teams consisting of 180 13- and 14-year-olds for Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI).

He received help from African-American players, including Darryl Strawberry and Eric Davis, who are from Southern California.

In 1991, MLB assumed operation of the RBI program.

John Young passed away at 67 yrs old.