Lee May

Infobox MLB retired
name=Lee May


width=
position=First Baseman
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1943|3|23
city-state|Birmingham|Alabama
deathdate=
debutdate=September 1
debutyear=by|1965
debutteam=Cincinnati Reds
finaldate=September 24
finalyear=by|1982
finalteam=Kansas City Royals
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.267
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=354
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=1244
teams=
* Cincinnati Reds (by|1965-by|1971)
* Houston Astros (by|1972-by|1974)
* Baltimore Orioles (by|1975-by|1980)
* Kansas City Royals (by|1981-by|1982)
highlights=
* 3x All-Star selection (1969, 1971, 1972)
* Led AL in RBI in 1976 with 109

Lee Andrew May (born March 23 1943 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. From by|1965 through by|1982, May played for the Cincinnati Reds (1965-71), Houston Astros (1972-74), Baltimore Orioles (1975-80) and Kansas City Royals (1981-82). He batted and threw right-handed. He is the brother of former Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees outfielder Carlos May. His son, Lee May, Jr. is currently the Hitting Coach for the Akron Aeros.

Career

In an 18-season career, May posted a .267 batting average, with 354 home runs and 1244 runs batted in in 2071 games.

A three-time All-Star, May was one of the most consistent sluggers of his generation. During eleven consecutive seasons, he compiled 20 or more home runs and 80 or more RBIs (by|1969-by|1978), with career-highs 39 home runs in by|1971 and 110 RBIs in 1969. In by|1973 with the National League's Houston Astros, May had a 21-game hitting streak (May 30 to June 22), setting a club record. He also hit a three-home run game in the same season (on June 21). Beside this, he was prone to strike out; ten times, he fanned more than 100 times in a season and compiled 1,570 in his career, although when he did get a hit, it was most often a home run that helped win the game.Fact|date=June 2007 May is just one of eleven big leaguers to reach the 100-RBI plateau playing for three different teams (the others being Dick Allen, Joe Carter, Orlando Cepeda, Rocky Colavito, Goose Goslin, Rogers Hornsby, Reggie Jackson, Al Simmons, Vic Wertz), and Alex Rodriguez.

May hit the last home run in the history of Crosley Field. The shot came in the eighth inning off San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal in the final game ever played at the stadium, on June 24, by|1970, and won the game for the Reds, 5-4.

In his last three seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, May was primarily used as a designated hitter to make room for Eddie Murray at first base. However, in the 1979 World Series, May only batted twice because the use of the DH wasn't allowed in that series. May was a major contributor that season with 19 homers and 69 RBIs.

Family

May has three children and nine grandchildren.His son Lee May Jr was a New York Mets 1st Round Pick in the 1980s

ee also

*List of major league players with 2,000 hits
*Top 500 home run hitters of all time
*List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
*List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
*Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game

External links

*baseball-reference|id=m/mayle01
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/May_Lee.stm BaseballLibrary]