Lou Brock was born in El Dorado, Arkansas. He grew up in Collinston, Louisiana on a poverty stricken cotton plantation where he picked and chopped cotton to help his family survive. After elementary school he attended Union High School in Mer Rouge, LA., where he played basketball, baseball and participated on the math and chemistry teams. After the first semester at Southern University, he lost his acquired academic scholarship when he received a C+ rather than the required B average. During the semester break, he lived on campus with friends and volunteered to retrieve balls for the college baseball team. One day after nearly passing out from exhaustion, the coaches rewarded him for his effort with five batting practice swings. He promptly hit three of the five balls over the fence and was given a full a baseball scholarship on the spot. At Southern, Brock was selected by the United States Olympic Committee to play on the USA Pan American Baseball Team and led Southern University to the NAIA World Series Championship. After college he entered Major League Baseball and for the next 19 years he became one of the greatest players of all-time.

Brock is the father and step/father of five adult children and two granddaughters

Currently Lou Brock is a spring training instructor for the St. Louis Cardinals and he is considered one of major league baseball's finest ambassadors.