Magic Johnson wrote $50-million check to be part of Dodgers

By Houston Mitchell

Sept. 18, 2012 12 AM PT

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;When Frank McCourt sold the &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”ORSPT000015”&amp;gt;Dodgers&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; earlier this year, the fact that &amp;lt;runtime:topic id=”PEHST001031”&amp;gt;Magic Johnson&amp;lt;/runtime:topic&amp;gt; was part of the new ownership group went a long way toward helping recapture a part of the fan base lost during the McCourt era.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But one question remained: How much did Magic invest to be part of the group?&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Johnson answered that question in a segment that will appear on HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” Tuesday night at 10 p.m. PDT.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;”I wrote a $50-million check,” Johnson tells interviewer Joe Frankel. “The largest check in my life.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Johnson goes on to talk about how he learned the value of hard work and to respect money.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;”I saw my dad go to work every day at General Motors and on his trash-hauling truck. And I understood how he valued every dollar.”&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Did Magic ever have second thoughts? “Only when I had to tell my wife. I said, ‘Honey, sit down....’&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;You can watch an excerpt from the interview above.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;ALSO:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-matt-kemp-impact-20120915,0,7653904.story”&amp;gt;Matt Kemp tries to have an impact even with hits scarce&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-dodgers-cardinals-wild-card-20120916,0,7012291.story?track=rss”&amp;gt;Dodgers left game back of Cardinals for wild-card after 5-2 loss&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=”https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgersnow/la-sp-dn-cruz-feelgood-20120915,0,4417463.story”&amp;gt;Luis Cruz is the Dodgers’ feel-good story that just keeps going&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

Magic Johnson wrote $50-million check to be part of Dodgers

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