Bob Lemon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bob Lemon
Lemon in 1953
Pitcher / Manager
Born: (1920-09-22)September 22, 1920 San Bernardino, California, U.S.
Died: January 11, 2000(2000-01-11) (aged 79) Long Beach, California, U.S.
Batted: Left Threw: Right
debut
September 9, 1941, for the Cleveland Indians
Last appearance
July 1, 1958, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	207–128
Earned run average	3.23
Strikeouts	1,277
Managerial record	430–403
Winning %	.516
Teams
As player Cleveland Indians (1941–1942, 1946–1958) As manager Kansas City Royals (1970–1972) Chicago White Sox (1977–1978) New York Yankees (1978–1979, 1981–1982)
Career highlights and awards
7× All-Star (1948–1954) 2× World Series champion (1948, 1978) 3× AL wins leader (1950, 1954, 1955) AL strikeout leader (1950) Pitched a no-hitter on June 30, 1948 Cleveland Guardians No. 21 retired Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1976
Vote	78.6% (12th ballot)

Robert Granville Lemon (born September 22, 1920 – died January 11, 2000) was an American baseball player and manager. He was a right-handed pitcher and later a manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lemon was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.

Lemon grew up in California and was a top high school baseball player. He started his professional career at age 17 with the Cleveland Indians. He played for them his entire career. Lemon first joined Cleveland's main team as a utility player in 1941. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, he returned to the Indians in 1946. That year, he started playing as a pitcher.

Lemon helped the Indians win the 1948 World Series, their first championship since 1920. He won two games in that series. In the early 1950s, Cleveland had a strong group of starting pitchers. This group included Lemon, Bob Feller, Mike Garcia, and Early Wynn. In 1954, Lemon had his best year with 23 wins and only 7 losses. The Indians won 111 games, setting an American League (AL) record. He was an All-Star for seven years in a row. He also had seven seasons where he won 20 or more games as a pitcher.

After his playing career, Lemon became a manager. He managed the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees. He was named Manager of the Year with both the White Sox and the Yankees. In 1978, he was fired by the White Sox. But just one month later, he became the Yankees' manager. He then led the Yankees to a 1978 World Series title. Lemon was the first AL manager to win a World Series after taking over a team mid-season.

Early Life and Baseball Start

Bob Lemon was born in San Bernardino, California. His family later moved to Long Beach, California. There, he went to Wilson Classical High School. He played shortstop on the school's baseball team. In 1938, he was named the state baseball player of the year for Southern California.

At 17, Lemon began his professional baseball journey. He played for minor league teams like the Oswego Netherlands and the Springfield Indians. He showed he could hit well, with a .312 batting average for the Netherlands. He continued to play in the minor leagues for several years. In 1942, he hit 21 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles minor league team.

Major League Career

Becoming a Pitcher

Lemon first played in the major leagues on September 9, 1941. He was a third baseman for the Cleveland Indians. He played in five games but didn't get many hits. He then served in the United States Navy during World War II. He missed three baseball seasons.

When he returned in 1946, Lemon started as the Indians' center fielder. In a game where Bob Feller pitched a no-hitter, Lemon made a great catch. This catch helped save Feller's no-hitter. Soon, people noticed Lemon's strong arm. His manager, Lou Boudreau, thought he should try pitching. Lemon wasn't sure at first. But he agreed when he learned pitchers could earn more money. Indians coaches helped him learn how to pitch. They taught him a key pitch called a slider.

Lemon finished the 1946 season with a 4–5 record. This was his only losing record until 1957. He had a very low 2.49 ERA. The next year, he improved to an 11–5 record. He started pitching more often in the second half of the season.

World Series Champion Player

Before the 1948 season, Lemon's salary was doubled. He became the Indians' second-best pitcher. On June 30, 1948, Lemon pitched a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers. This was a big achievement for him. He finished the season with 20 complete games, the most in the AL. He also led the majors with ten shutouts. Lemon won the AL Pitcher of the Year Award in 1948.

The Indians played the Boston Red Sox in a special playoff game. The winner would go to the World Series. Lemon had pitched recently, so Gene Bearden started the game. The Indians won and went on to face the Boston Braves in the 1948 World Series.

Lemon started Game 2 of the World Series. He pitched well, and Cleveland won 4–1. He also started Game 6. The Indians won that game 4–3. This victory gave the Cleveland Indians their first World Series title since 1920. Lemon was the only pitcher in the series to win two games.

Lemon was also a good hitter for a pitcher. In 1949, he was batting .295 with 11 extra-base hits. In 1950, Lemon led all of MLB with 23 wins. He won his second AL Pitcher of the Year Award. In 1951, he became the highest-paid pitcher in baseball. In 1952, Lemon had a 2.50 ERA and won 22 games. He led the AL with 28 complete games. The Indians had three 20-game winners that year: Lemon, Early Wynn, and Mike Garcia.

In 1953, Lemon pitched a one-hitter on Opening Day. He finished the season with 21 wins. He led the AL in innings pitched for the fourth time.

Another World Series Appearance

In 1954, Lemon had another great year, winning 23 games and losing only 7. He won his third AL Pitcher of the Year Award. The Cleveland Indians won 111 games, setting an AL record. They won the pennant and went to the 1954 World Series.

Lemon started Game 1 of the World Series. The game was tied in the 10th inning. Lemon gave up a home run, and the Indians lost. He also started Game 4 on only two days' rest. The Indians lost that game too, and the New York Giants swept the series.

Lemon started the 1955 season strong with five wins in April. He ended the year with 18 wins, tying for the most in the AL. In 1956, he earned his 200th career win. He also hit a home run in that game. He finished the season with 20 wins, his seventh and final 20-win season. In 1957, he had an elbow injury and finished with a losing record.

By 1958, Lemon was 37 years old. He played in only a few games before being sent to the minor leagues. He retired as a player on March 5, 1959. He said he couldn't keep up with the younger players anymore.

Lemon finished his playing career with 207 wins. He also hit 37 home runs as a pitcher. This is the second-most all-time for a pitcher. In 1998, the Cleveland Indians retired his jersey number, 21.

On January 22, 1976, Bob Lemon was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was chosen by baseball writers. His powerful slider pitch was a big reason for his Hall of Fame election.

After Playing: Coaching and Managing

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Lemon became a scout for the Indians. He also worked as a minor league pitching instructor. He coached for the MLB Indians in 1959 and 1960. Later, he coached for the Philadelphia Phillies and the California Angels. In 1976, he was the pitching coach for the New York Yankees. That year, he was named an honorary captain for the AL team at the All-Star Game.

Managing Career

Lemon in 1995

Lemon's first job as a manager was in 1964. He managed the Hawaii Islanders, a minor league team. In 1966, he managed the Seattle Angels to a championship. He was named the PCL's Manager of the Year. Lemon tried to manage like his former coach, Al López. He wanted players to feel relaxed and treated like adults.

Kansas City Royals Manager

In 1970, Lemon became the pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals. He then became their manager in June 1970. In 1971, Lemon led the Royals to their first winning season. He finished second in the Manager of the Year voting. The Royals finished 76–78 in 1972. The team's owner fired Lemon, saying he wanted a younger manager.

Lemon then managed in the minor leagues again. He managed the Sacramento Solons in 1974 and the Richmond Braves in 1975.

Chicago White Sox Manager

In 1976, Bill Veeck hired Lemon to manage the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox had finished last in 1976. Lemon helped the team improve greatly. In 1977, the White Sox finished with 90 wins and 72 losses. This was a 26-game improvement. Lemon won his second Manager of the Year Award.

However, Lemon was fired by the White Sox on June 30, 1978. The team had a 34–40 record. He was replaced by his former Indians teammate, Larry Doby.

New York Yankees Manager

Just one month later, on July 24, 1978, Lemon became the manager of the New York Yankees. The Yankees were behind the Red Sox by 14 games in July. Lemon helped them catch up and tie the Red Sox. They won a special playoff game to win their division. Lemon became the third manager in MLB history to take over mid-season and win the pennant.

Plaque of Bob Lemon at the Baseball Hall of Fame

Lemon's Yankees then beat the Royals in the ALCS. They went on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 1978 World Series. This was Lemon's second World Series title, his first as a manager. He was praised for his calm approach with the team. Lemon made key changes, like moving Thurman Munson back to catcher. He also put Reggie Jackson in a key batting spot. In October, Lemon won his second AL Manager of the Year award.

Sadly, after winning the 1978 World Series, Lemon faced a personal tragedy when his son, Jerry, passed away in an accident. In June 1979, with the Yankees at 34–31, Lemon was fired by team owner George Steinbrenner. He stayed with the Yankees organization as a scout.

Second Time with Yankees

Steinbrenner hired Lemon to manage the Yankees again on September 6, 1981. The Yankees made it to the postseason. They won the first two games of the 1981 World Series against the Dodgers. But they lost the next four games and the series. Lemon was fired again just a few weeks into the 1982 season. He had managed the Yankees for just over one full season of games. He won 99 games for a .576 winning percentage.

Managerial Record

Highlights and Awards

• 7× All-Star (1948–1954)
• 7× seasons with 20 or more wins (1948–1950, 1952–1954, 1956)
• 5× AL leader in complete games (1948, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956)
• Led MLB in shutouts (10, 1948)
• 5× led MLB or AL in putouts (1948–1949, 1952–1954)
• 6× led MLB or AL in assists (1948–1949, 1951–1953, 1956)
• 3× finished fifth in MVP voting (1948, 1950, 1954)
• World Series Champion as a player (1948)
• Led AL in strikeouts (170, 1950)
• 3x AL Pitcher of the Year Award (1948, 1950, 1954)
• 2× MLB leader in wins (1950, 1954)
• Major league record for pitcher: 15 double plays in one season (1953)
• Led AL in wins (1955)
• World Series Champion as a manager (1978)
• Number 21 retired by Cleveland Indians
• Honored by the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award in 2013 for his service in the United States Navy during World War II.

Death

Bob Lemon passed away in 2000 in Long Beach, California. He had lived there permanently since his playing days. His former teammate, Bob Feller, remembered him as a pitcher with a great curveball, slider, and sinker. Feller said Lemon always stayed ahead of hitters and didn't walk many batters.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders
• List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders
• List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders
• List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers
• Major League Baseball titles leaders
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
• List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise