Al Downing (January 9, 1940 – July 4, 2005), later known as Big Al Downing, was an entertainer, singer, songwriter, and pianist. He received the Billboard's New Artist of the Year and the Single of the Year Award in 1979. He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and was a frequent performer at the Grand Ole Opry. Downing was nominated as Best New Artist by the Academy of Country Music and appeared on Hee Haw, Nashville Now, and Dick Clark's American Bandstand television programs.

Alphonso Erwin "Al" Downing (born June 28, 1941, in Trenton, New Jersey) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 17 seasons from - . He entered the majors with the New York Yankees, and then played for the Oakland Athletics and Milwaukee Brewers before retiring with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Downing is most remembered for surrendering the record-breaking 715th home run hit by Hank Aaron on April 8, .

In , he led the league with 217 strikeouts.

On August 11, , Downing struck out three batters (Tony Horton, Don Demeter and Duke Sims) on nine pitches in the second inning of a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians. Downing became the sixth American League pitcher and the 13th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-pitch/three-strikeout half-inning. He was traded to Oakland prior to the 1970 season in a deal that sent him and catcher Frank Fernandez to the A's for Danny Cater and Ossie Chavarria.

Pitching for the Dodgers in after being traded by Milwaukee for outfielder Andy Kosco, Downing reached the pinnacle, winning 20 games, including a league-leading five shutouts.

Downing was a radio broadcaster for the Dodgers through 2005. As of 2006, he remains on the Dodgers Speaker's Bureau.

Al Downing is best known as the major league pitcher who gave up Hank Aaron's 715th major league home run, which broke the record of George Herman "Babe" Ruth at the time on April 8, 1974.