Books and articles about Lee May

One of the most consistent power hitters of his time, the hulking May hit 20-plus HR and 80-plus RBI in 11 seasons, but always seemed aboout to be replaced by "the future." First, Tony Perez's emergence as an RBI threat prompted the Reds to trade May to the Astros in an eight-player deal in 1971, with Joe Morgan the primary acquisition. After May spent three years in Houston, the emergence of Bob Watson prompted a trade to Baltimore in 1975. After six seasons with the Orioles, Eddie Murray came up to prompt May's final move, to Kansas City in 1981. His expendability may have been caused by his average fielding ability and his tendency to strike out: he fanned 1,570 times in 18 years, high on the all-time list. Ten times he struck out more than 100 times in a season.

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May, whose younger brother Carlos came up with the White Sox, reached the majors with the Reds in 1965, but didn't become a regular until 1967. He was an early cog in the Big Red Machine, hitting .290 in 1968, and had his best season in 1969, with 38 HR and a career-high 110 RBI. Brooks Robinson stole the 1970 World Series for the Orioles, but May hit two HR and drove in eight runs in the five-game series. His second homer was a clutch three-run shot in the eighth inning to give the Reds their lone victory, 6-5, and snapped the Orioles' 17-game winning streak. (SEW)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 12, 1962: The Braves beat the Dodgers, 15–2, as the Aaron brothers -- Hank Aaron and Tommie Aaron -- hit home runs in the same game for the first time. They'll do it twice more this year. Hank has three hits and drives in three runs before retiring in the 7th for a pinch-hitter, Lee May. May is the first of six hitters who will pinch for Aaron. » September 25, 1967: At Forbes Field, the Reds Jim Maloney pitches a 2-hitter to beat the Pirates, 3–0. All the scores come on solo homers—2 by Mack Jones and one by Lee May. » May 28, 1969: In a 7–6 win over Pittsburgh, National League home run leader Lee May of the Reds hits a pair, garnering a ML-record-tying six in three straight games (at least one in each). He hit a pair in both the games against the Expos on the 24th and 25th. » July 3, 1969: At Los Angeles, Lee May hits a 2-run homer in the 11th and the Reds beat the Dodgers, 4–3. For May, second in the National League to Willie McCovey (27) in dingers, it is his 23rd homer, matching his birth date and uniform number (his younger brother Carlos May will also have his birth date as his uniform number). Wayne Granger, the 3rd Red pitcher in the 11th, stops the Dodger rally. » July 15, 1969: Reds OF Lee May hits four homers against the Braves in a doubleheader split. May hits a pair in each game driving in five runs in each. The Reds lose the lidlifter, 9–8, then take game two, 10–4. » April 6, 1970: In the last home opener at Crosley Field, the Reds top the Expos, 5–1, behind Jim Merritt. It is the first win for manager Sparky Anderson. The Reds have three homers in the 4th, when Lee May, Bernie Carbo, and Bobby Tolan connect. It is Carbo's first ML hit. Joe Sparma takes the loss. » April 16, 1970: Reds' ace Jim Maloney suffers a severed Achilles tendon in his left leg while running the bases against the Dodgers in the 3rd inning. He is replaced by 19-year-old rookie Don Gullett, who earns his first ML victory, 12–2, with five innings of shutout ball. Lee May collects four hits including a grand slam. Maloney, 29, will never win another game in the majors. » May 17, 1970: At Crosley Field, Hank Aaron collects his 3,000th hit, a first-inning infield single, and his 570th home run, off Wayne Granger, but the Reds beat Atlanta, 7–6 in 15 innings. Pete Rose's 9th inning homer knots the game at 3–3, and the Reds score another three in the 10th to tie the game at six apiece. The Reds score in the 10th on a double by Tony Perez and homers by Johnny Bench (who starts the game in CF) and Lee May. Don Gullett pitches the last two innings and drives in the winner with a single. Perez is 5-for-7 in the contest. Aaron is collared in game 1, a 5–1 Reds victory. The DH draws 33,217, the largest crowd at Crosley Field since 1947. » June 7, 1970: The rampaging Reds move to nine game ahead in the NL West with a 10–2 walloping of the Mets. Johnny Bench, with five RBIs, and Lee May crash homers to back Wayne Simpson's 8th win. » June 24, 1970: Before 28,027, the Reds play their final game at Cincinnati's Crosley Field, beating the Giants 5–4. Johnny Bench and Lee May hit back-to-back homers off Juan Marichal in the 8th for the win. » July 20, 1970: In St. Louis, the Reds Lee May breaks a scoreless tie with a 10th inning grand slam to account for all the scoring as the Reds win, 4–0 in game 2. The Reds take the opener, 4–3. » August 15, 1970: In a 5–4 Reds win over the Phillies, Lee May drives in all the runs for Cincinnati. His 2nd homer in the bottom of the 9th ties the game and his single in the 14th wins it. Rose is 0-for-7 with five straight K's. The Phils Billy Champion is the losing pitcher, but all is not lost. Champion picks up a PCL win today as Eugene completes a suspended game in which he is the victor. » August 29, 1970: The Reds trip the Expos, 4–3, as Pete Rose collects his 1,500 career hit. Lee May's 2-run homer in the 11th snaps a 2-2 tie. » September 10, 1970: Lee May hits a 1st inning grand slam, off Joe Moeller, and the Reds roll to a 13–4 win over the host Dodgers. » October 14, 1970: After Casey Stengel throws out the first pitch, Lee May's 8th-inning 3-run homer gives the Reds their first Series win 6–5. RF Pete Rose throws out Brooks Robinson at the plate and homers in the 5th. The loss ends the Orioles' 17-game winning streak which started at the end of the regular season. » May 28, 1971: At Riverfront Stadium, Don Gullett (10 IP) and Clay Carroll combine to beat the Astros, 1–0, in 13 innings. Lee May hits a single to drive in the game-winner. » August 8, 1971: Behind Lee May's two homers and five RBIs, the Reds beat the visiting Montreal Expos, 6–3. His 2nd homer is a 3-run shot in the 9th. » November 29, 1971: In three blockbuster deals, the Cubs trade P Ken Holtzman to the A's for OF Rick Monday; the Giants trade P Gaylord Perry and SS Frank Duffy to the Indians for P Sam McDowell; and the Reds trade 1B Lee May, 2B Tommy Helms, and OF Jimmy Stewart to the Astros for 2B Joe Morgan, OF Cesar Geronimo, and P Jack Billingham. This trade, criticized in the Cincinnati press, is one of the best in Reds history, and puts the wheels on the big Red Machine, as future Hall of Famer Morgan will win two MVPs. » June 21, 1973: Houston's Lee May collects three home runs and a single in a 12–2 win over San Diego. The bright side for the Pads is Dave Winfield's first ML homer, off Ken Forsch. » April 29, 1974: Lee May goes 5-for-5, including two homers in the 6th inning, as Houston destroys Chicago, 18–2. » December 3, 1974: The Astros trade 1B Lee May and Jay Schlueter to the Orioles for Enos Cabell and Rob Andrews. » August 14, 1976: The Orioles sweep two from the White Sox, 8–6 and 6–5. The O's are paced by grand slams off the bats of Reggie Jackson and Lee May. » June 26, 1978: Toronto's Dave McKay and Otto Velez each hit two doubles in one inning during a 24–10 rout of Baltimore. With the score 19–6 following a homer by Lee May, Earl Weaver tosses OF Larry Harlow to the Blue Jay. Harlow gets two batters out in the 5th, then walks three in a row and hurls a wild pitch. He then allows a single, a walk, and a grand slam by John Mayberry makes the score 24–6. Bullpen catcher Ellie Hendricks then relieves Harlow and gives up just a walk and no runs in 2-1/3 innings. Closer Don Stanhouse takes over in the 8th. » May 8, 1979: Consecutive home runs by Eddie Murray, Lee May, and Gary Roenicke in the 6th power the Orioles to an 8–2 win over Oakland. Murray has now hit in 19 straight games. » September 13, 1991: Toronto OF Joe Carter drives in a run in the Blue Jays' 7-6 victory over the A's, becoming the 1st player in history to reach the 100 plateau in three consecutive seasons with three different teams. Nine players (Dick Allen, Orlando Cepeda, Rocky Colavito, Goose Goslin, Rogers Hornsby, Reggie Jackson, Lee May, Al Simmons, and Vic Wertz) have collected 100 RBI with three teams, but none consecutively.