Bob Lemon
Encyclopedia
Robert Granville Lemon (September 22, 1920–January 11, 2000) was an American
right-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
Born in San Bernardino, California
, Lemon attended Wilson Classical High School
in Long Beach, California
where he was the CIF and State Baseball Player of the Year in 1938.
manager Lou Boudreau
and eventually won 20 games seven times for the team. A sinker-ball specialist, Lemon teamed with Bob Feller
, Early Wynn
and Mike Garcia to form one of the greatest pitching staffs in baseball history. In he won 20 games in the regular season and two more in the Fall Classic for the World Champion Indians, and in he was 23–7 as Cleveland won the pennant. He retired in 1958 with 207 wins, all but 10 of them won in a ten-year span.
In Ted Williams' autobiography written with John Underwood, Ted said of Lemon while pitching for Cleveland around 1951: "I have to rate Lemon as one of the very best pitchers I ever faced. His ball was always moving, hard, sinking, fast-breaking. You could never really uhmmmph with Lemon".
In addition to his feats, on June 30, 1948, Lemon pitched a 2-0 no-hitter
against the Detroit Tigers
. A seven-time All-Star
(1948–1954), Lemon was often used as a pinch-hitter, putting up a lifetime mark of 31 hits in 109 at-bats (.284), and his 37 career home runs batted as a pitcher put him second on the all-time career list, behind Wes Ferrell
.
, California Angels
, Kansas City Royals
and New York Yankees
. He won the 1966 Pacific Coast League
championship as manager of the Seattle Angels
. In , he was promoted to manager of the Royals in midseason. The following year, , he guided the Royals to their first winning season, only the franchise's third after beginning play as an expansion team in , earning AL
Manager of the Year honors.
Lemon served in 1976 as pitching coach for the American League champion New York Yankees
, the franchise that was the chief antagonist of the Cleveland Indians during his own pitching years, and a team owned then by Cleveland-area native, the late George Steinbrenner. Prior to the 1976 season, Lemon was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In recognition of this honor, Lemon was named honorary captain of the American League for the 1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
.
. He improved the Sox' record by 26 games, winning his second Manager of the Year Award, but was fired the following season by owner Bill Veeck
after Chicago
posted a 34–40 record in the first half. A few weeks later, he returned to the Yankees
, hired to replace troubled manager Billy Martin
. The move reunited Lemon with both owner Steinbrenner and Yankees President Al Rosen
, an Indians teammate during the Tribe's '50s glory years.
Five days after the Martin–Lemon changeover, the Yankees divulged at their 1978 Old Timers' Day that Lemon would be moved in 1980
to general manager, and that Martin himself would then return as field manager. The announcement, made by public-address announcer Bob Sheppard
after the Old Timers had been announced, was accompanied by Martin's dramatic entrance the Yankee dugout and a long standing ovation from fans.
Whatever the theatrics, Lemon responded to his new job—and to the newspaper strike that helped calm down the atmosphere in the Yankees clubhouse—by guiding the Yankees to the pennant when the Yankees caught the stunned Boston Red Sox
for the lead in the American League East race. The Yanks, who trailed by 14 games in July, pulled even with the Red Sox by defeating them in a four-game September series known as the Boston Massacre ever since. The Yankees pulled ahead by three and a half games, but the Red Sox rallied to tie the Yanks in the final day of the season.
On October 2, 1978, the Yankees defeated Boston for the American League Eastern Division title in their famed one-game play-off
, punctuated both by a dramatic three-run home run by Bucky Dent
in the seventh inning, and an eighth-inning homer by Reggie Jackson
that actually gave the Bronx Bombers the winning run. Lemon's Yankees then beat the Royals in the ALCS
and Los Angeles Dodgers
to win the World Series
title.
When the Yankees struggled in the first part of 1979
, Lemon, who some say was distracted by the death of his son in the off-season, took the blame and was fired by Steinbrenner, replaced by Martin. Lemon maintained a close relationship with Steinbrenner, and when the Yankees needed a boost late in 1981
, he was brought back to skipper the team. Lemon moved on to the post-season and dispatched the Milwaukee Brewers
and the Billy Martin led Oakland Athletics
, and won the first two games of the World Series
against the Dodgers, only to lose four straight. Lemon survived a few weeks into the '82 season
before Steinbrenner dismissed him one last time. He had managed just over one full season of games (172) for the Yankees, winning 99 for a .576 winning percentage.
Lemon died in 2000 in Long Beach, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
Born in San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, Lemon attended Wilson Classical High School
Wilson Classical High School
Woodrow Wilson Classical High School is a secondary school in Long Beach, California. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District and opened in 1925.-Overview:Wilson High School opened in 1925 as the second school in the city....
in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
where he was the CIF and State Baseball Player of the Year in 1938.
Playing
Lemon made the switch to the mound on the suggestion of Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
manager Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
and eventually won 20 games seven times for the team. A sinker-ball specialist, Lemon teamed with Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
, Early Wynn
Early Wynn
Early Wynn Jr. , nicknamed "Gus", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 25-year baseball career, he pitched for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox...
and Mike Garcia to form one of the greatest pitching staffs in baseball history. In he won 20 games in the regular season and two more in the Fall Classic for the World Champion Indians, and in he was 23–7 as Cleveland won the pennant. He retired in 1958 with 207 wins, all but 10 of them won in a ten-year span.
In Ted Williams' autobiography written with John Underwood, Ted said of Lemon while pitching for Cleveland around 1951: "I have to rate Lemon as one of the very best pitchers I ever faced. His ball was always moving, hard, sinking, fast-breaking. You could never really uhmmmph with Lemon".
In addition to his feats, on June 30, 1948, Lemon pitched a 2-0 no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. A seven-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1948–1954), Lemon was often used as a pinch-hitter, putting up a lifetime mark of 31 hits in 109 at-bats (.284), and his 37 career home runs batted as a pitcher put him second on the all-time career list, behind Wes Ferrell
Wes Ferrell
Wesley Cheek Ferrell was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1927 through 1941. Primarily a starting pitcher, Ferrell played for the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators , New York Yankees , Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves...
.
Coaching
After his playing career, Lemon coached for the Indians, Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He won the 1966 Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
championship as manager of the Seattle Angels
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
. In , he was promoted to manager of the Royals in midseason. The following year, , he guided the Royals to their first winning season, only the franchise's third after beginning play as an expansion team in , earning AL
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Manager of the Year honors.
Lemon served in 1976 as pitching coach for the American League champion New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, the franchise that was the chief antagonist of the Cleveland Indians during his own pitching years, and a team owned then by Cleveland-area native, the late George Steinbrenner. Prior to the 1976 season, Lemon was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In recognition of this honor, Lemon was named honorary captain of the American League for the 1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 47th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 13, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, home of...
.
Managing
In , Lemon managed the Chicago White Sox1977 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was a season in American baseball. The team finished third in the American League West, 12 games behind the Kansas City Royals.- Offseason :...
. He improved the Sox' record by 26 games, winning his second Manager of the Year Award, but was fired the following season by owner Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
after Chicago
1978 Chicago White Sox season
The 1978 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 78th season in Major League Baseball, and its 79th overall. They finished with a record 71-90, good enough for fifth place in the American League West, 20.5 games behind the first-place Kansas City Royals....
posted a 34–40 record in the first half. A few weeks later, he returned to the Yankees
1978 New York Yankees season
The 1978 New York Yankees season was the 76th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 100-63, finishing one game ahead of the Boston Red Sox to win their third American League East title. The two teams were tied after 162 games, leading to a one-game playoff, which the Yankees...
, hired to replace troubled manager Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
. The move reunited Lemon with both owner Steinbrenner and Yankees President Al Rosen
Al Rosen
Albert Leonard Rosen , nicknamed "Al", "Flip", and the "Hebrew Hammer", is a former American professional baseball player who was a third baseman and right-handed slugger in the Major Leagues for ten seasons in tthe 1940s and 1950s.He played his entire 10-year career with the Cleveland Indians in...
, an Indians teammate during the Tribe's '50s glory years.
Five days after the Martin–Lemon changeover, the Yankees divulged at their 1978 Old Timers' Day that Lemon would be moved in 1980
1980 New York Yankees season
The 1980 New York Yankees season was the 78th season for the franchise in New York, and its 80th season overall. The team finished with a record of 103-59, finishing in first place in the American League East, 3 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles. The Kansas City Royals swept the Yanks in the...
to general manager, and that Martin himself would then return as field manager. The announcement, made by public-address announcer Bob Sheppard
Bob Sheppard
Robert Leo "Bob" Sheppard was the long-time public address announcer for numerous New York area college and professional sports teams, in particular the MLB New York Yankees , and the NFL New York Giants .Sheppard announced more than 4,500 Yankees baseball games over a period of 56 years,...
after the Old Timers had been announced, was accompanied by Martin's dramatic entrance the Yankee dugout and a long standing ovation from fans.
Whatever the theatrics, Lemon responded to his new job—and to the newspaper strike that helped calm down the atmosphere in the Yankees clubhouse—by guiding the Yankees to the pennant when the Yankees caught the stunned Boston Red Sox
1978 Boston Red Sox season
The 1978 Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing second in the American League East with a record of 99 wins and 64 losses.- Offseason :...
for the lead in the American League East race. The Yanks, who trailed by 14 games in July, pulled even with the Red Sox by defeating them in a four-game September series known as the Boston Massacre ever since. The Yankees pulled ahead by three and a half games, but the Red Sox rallied to tie the Yanks in the final day of the season.
On October 2, 1978, the Yankees defeated Boston for the American League Eastern Division title in their famed one-game play-off
1978 American League East tie-breaker game
The 1978 American League East tie-breaker game was played between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on October 2, 1978....
, punctuated both by a dramatic three-run home run by Bucky Dent
Bucky Dent
Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...
in the seventh inning, and an eighth-inning homer by Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
that actually gave the Bronx Bombers the winning run. Lemon's Yankees then beat the Royals in the ALCS
1978 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1978 at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, MissouriPrior to the start of this game, both teams had to deal with bad news. Ron Guidry, he of the incredible 25–3 Cy Young Award-winning season, would be unavailable to start until Game 4, if played, at least...
and Los Angeles Dodgers
1978 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The 1978 season ended with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning their second straight National League pennant and losing to the New York Yankees in the World Series again...
to win the World Series
1978 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1978 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaWith Yankee ace Ron Guidry unavailable at least until Game 3, the Dodgers pounded twenty-game winner Ed Figueroa. Figueroa left after two innings, allowing home runs to Dusty Baker and Davey Lopes. Lopes would add a...
title.
When the Yankees struggled in the first part of 1979
1979 New York Yankees season
The 1979 New York Yankees season was the 77th season for the franchise in New York and its 79th season overall. The season was marked by the death of their starting catcher, Thurman Munson, on August 2. The team finished with a record of 89-71, finishing fourth in the American League East, 13.5...
, Lemon, who some say was distracted by the death of his son in the off-season, took the blame and was fired by Steinbrenner, replaced by Martin. Lemon maintained a close relationship with Steinbrenner, and when the Yankees needed a boost late in 1981
1981 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1981 season was the 79th season for the Yankees. In the ALCS, the Yankees swept the Oakland Athletics for their only pennant of the 1980s. However, they lost in the World Series in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. New York was managed by Gene Michael and Bob Lemon...
, he was brought back to skipper the team. Lemon moved on to the post-season and dispatched the Milwaukee Brewers
1981 Milwaukee Brewers season
The Milwaukee Brewers' 1981 season involved the Brewers' finishing 1st in American League East during the second half of the split schedule with an overall record of 62 wins and 47 losses. They proceeded to lose to the New York Yankees in the ALDS...
and the Billy Martin led Oakland Athletics
1981 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' 1981 season involved the A's finishing with the best overall record in the American League West with a record of 64 wins and 45 losses. The season was suspended for 50 days due to the infamous 1981 players strike, and the league resorted to a split-season format with the...
, and won the first two games of the World Series
1981 World Series
The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...
against the Dodgers, only to lose four straight. Lemon survived a few weeks into the '82 season
1982 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 1982 season was the 80th season for the Yankees. The team finished in fifth place in the American League Eastern Division with a record of 79-83, finishing 16 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. It was the first time the Yankees finished with a losing record since , the team's...
before Steinbrenner dismissed him one last time. He had managed just over one full season of games (172) for the Yankees, winning 99 for a .576 winning percentage.
Lemon died in 2000 in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- MLB all-time leaders in home runs by pitchersMLB all-time leaders in home runs by pitchersThis is a list of the all-time leaders in home runs hit by Major League Baseball pitchers, with the pitcher being defined as a player who pitches in at least three games in the given year...
- Major League Baseball titles leadersMajor League Baseball titles leadersAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
External links
- Bob Lemon at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- The Top 100 Greatest Indians Roster
- 1954 Cleveland Indians season
Accomplishments