Carlos May facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carlos May |
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| Left fielder / Designated hitter / First baseman | |||
| Born: May 17, 1948 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 6, 1968, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| NPB: 1978, for the Nankai Hawks | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 2, 1977, for the California Angels | |||
| NPB: 1981, for the Nankai Hawks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Home runs | 90 | ||
| Runs batted in | 536 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .309 | ||
| Home runs | 70 | ||
| Runs batted in | 252 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Carlos May (born May 17, 1948) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1968 to 1977. Carlos was mostly known for playing as an outfielder, first baseman, and designated hitter for the Chicago White Sox. He was chosen for the All-Star team twice while playing for the White Sox.
He also played for the New York Yankees and the California Angels. After his time in MLB, he played in Japan for the Nippon Professional Baseball league. He was part of the Nankai Hawks team from 1978 to 1981. Carlos May is the younger brother of another famous baseball player, Lee May.
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Early Life and High School Sports
Carlos May was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 17, 1948. He went to A. H. Parker High School, where he was a star athlete. In high school, he played outfield on the baseball team. One season, his batting average was an amazing .735. This means he got a hit nearly three out of every four times he tried!
Carlos was also an all-state fullback in football. He was a switch hitter in baseball, meaning he could bat from both the left and right sides. Before becoming a professional, his overall batting average was .352. The Chicago White Sox picked him in the first round of the 1966 major league draft. His older brother, Lee May, also went to Parker High and became a major league baseball player.
Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
Carlos May began his professional career in the White Sox's minor league system. He played there from 1966 to 1968. In 1967, he played Single-A baseball for the Appleton Foxes. He had a strong batting average of .338 that year.
The next year, he played for the Lynchburg White Sox, another Single-A team. He hit .330 in 113 games. He also hit 13 home runs and had 74 runs batted in (RBI). Carlos led the Carolina League in on-base percentage that season.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Carlos May started his major league career on September 6, 1968. He played left field for the Chicago White Sox against the Baltimore Orioles. In 1969, he played in 100 games and batted .281. He also hit 18 home runs and had 62 RBI.
That year, he was chosen for the American League All-Star team as a rookie. His brother Lee was also on the National League All-Star team in the same game. This was a special moment for the May brothers.
A Challenging Injury and Comeback
In August 1969, Carlos May was serving in the U.S. Marine Reserves. He was involved in an accident that caused a serious injury to his right thumb. This injury ended his season early. He spent months recovering and doing physical therapy.
Even with the injury, Carlos won the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award in 1969. The injury changed his hitting style, and he didn't hit as many home runs afterward. However, many people believe he became an even better overall hitter.
Continuing His Career with the White Sox
In 1970, Carlos May became the White Sox's full-time left fielder. He batted .285 with 12 home runs and 68 RBI. In 1971, he played regularly at first base and batted .294. He moved back to the outfield after the White Sox traded for superstar Dick Allen.
Carlos continued to be a strong player for the White Sox in the early 1970s. In 1972, he had his career-high batting average of .308. He also stole 28 stolen bases, which was another career best. That year, he was selected for the American League All-Star team for the second time. His brother Lee was also an All-Star again for the National League.
In 1973, Carlos hit 20 home runs and had 96 RBIs. These were his career highs in those categories.
Moving to Other Teams
On May 18, 1976, Carlos May was traded to the New York Yankees. He played as a designated hitter for the Yankees and batted .278. The Yankees won their division and made it to the 1976 World Series. In the World Series, the Yankees played against the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds won the series.
Carlos May was an All-Star in 1969 and 1972. He was known for wearing his birthday on the back of his uniform with his name: "MAY 17."
Over his 10-year MLB career, he batted .274. He hit 90 home runs and had 536 RBIs in 1165 games. He also had 85 stolen bases and scored 545 runs.
Playing Baseball in Japan
From 1978 to 1981, Carlos May played professional baseball in Japan. He played four years for the Nankai Hawks in the Japan Pacific League. During his time there, he had a strong batting average of .309. He hit 27 home runs in 1980 and 26 in 1979.
Life After Baseball
After his baseball career, Carlos May worked for the United States Postal Service. He was a mail carrier and clerk for 20 years. Today, he works as a community relations representative for the White Sox.
Carlos is famous for being the only player in MLB history to wear his birthday on the back of his jersey. His jersey number was 17, so with his last name, it read "May 17."
