| Carlos May | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Left fielder /Designated hitter /First baseman | |
| Born: (1948-05-17)May 17, 1948 (age 77) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| 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 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Carlos May (born May 17, 1948) is an American former professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball as anoutfielder,first baseman anddesignated hitter from 1968 to 1977, most prominently for theChicago White Sox where he was a two-time American LeagueAll-Star player. He also played for theNew York Yankees and theCalifornia Angels. After his major league career, he played in theNippon Professional Baseball league for theNankai Hawks from 1978 to 1981. May is the younger brother of former professional baseball player,Lee May.
May was born inBirmingham, Alabama on May 17, 1948. He attendedA. H. Parker High School, playing outfield on the baseball team. In high school May had one season where hisbatting average was .735 on the baseball team, and he was an All-Statefullback infootball. May was aswitch hitter and had a .352 batting average, before becoming a professional. He was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the 1966 major league draft (18th overall). His older brother Lee May also attended Parker and became a major league baseball player.[1][2][3][4][5]
May played in the White Sox minor league system from 1966-68. In 1967, playingSingle-A baseball for theAppleton Foxes, May had a .338 batting average. The following year, again playing Single-A ball, this time for theLynchburg White Sox, May hit .330 in 113 games, with 13home runs, 74runs batted in (RBI), 62runs scored, and 68bases on balls.[6] He had the highest batting average in theCarolina League for anyone with over 300at bats, and led the league inon-base percentage (.435).[7]
He began his major league career on September 6,1968, starting in left field against theBaltimore Orioles.[8] He played in a total of 17 games for the White Sox in 1968. In 1969, he played in 100 games, batting .281, with 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, 62 runs, 58 bases on balls, and an .873on-base plus slugging (OPS). He was selected to the American League All-Star Team as a rookie, where he made a pinch-hitting appearance. His brother Lee was on the National League All Star Team in that game.[1][9]
May was in theU.S. Marine Reserves. On August 11, 1969, while serving atCamp Pendleton, he was asked to clean amortar that still had a shell in it. The mortar fired, causing a partial amputation of May's right thumb. His season ended, and he was in medical care and physical therapy from August to January 1970. During his time recuperating in California, he also received considerable support through White Sox fans writing to him. May ultimately returned to play again, but the injury led May to change his entire hitting style. He never recovered the same home run power, but he may have become a better hitter in some ways.[10][11][12]
May still won the 1969Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award,[13] but lost toLou Piniella for theMajor League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award (3rd in the voting).[14] Playing in 135 games forKansas City Royals, Piniella hit .282, with 11 home runs, 68 RBIs, 43 runs, 33 bases on balls, and a .741 OPS.[15]
In 1970, as the White Sox' full-time left fielder, May hit .285 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs in 150 games.[1] However, the White Sox had a miserable year, finishing 50 games under .500 and in last place in theAmerican League, 42 games out of first place.[16] In1971, he batted .294 with 70 RBIs while playing regularly atfirst base for the only time in his career.[1] He moved back to the outfield after an offseason trade brought superstar and future Hall of Fame playerDick Allen to the White Sox in exchange forTommy John andSteve Huntz.[17][18][19][20]
Throughout the early 1970s, May continued to help the White Sox improve as a solid everyday starter for them. In1972, he hit .308 and had 28stolen bases, which would both end up his career-highs in the respective categories. That year, Chicago finished in 2nd place in the AL, behind only theOakland Athletics. He was selected to the AL All-Star Team for a second time; and brother Lee May was selected for the NLteam again as well, as its starting first baseman.[21][22][1]
In1973 he collected 20 home runs and 96 RBIs, which would end up his career highs in those categories. In 1974, his batting average declined to .249, the lowest of his career as a full-time player; with only eight home runs and 58 RBIs. His raised his average to .271 the following year, but again only had eight home runs, with 53 RBIs.[1]
May did get a crack at postseason play, but not with the White Sox. On May 18,1976, he was traded to the Yankees forpitcherKen Brett and fellow outfielderRich Coggins.[23] The deal was made while the Yankees were in a heated pennant race (3.5 games ahead of the Orioles in first place);[24] though they would win the Eastern Division by 10.5 games over the Orioles.[25] That year, he hit .278 as adesignated hitter for the Yankees, and the Yankees went to theWorld Series.[1][26] During theALCS, May went 2-for-10 with adouble and awalk.[27] In the World Series against theCincinnati Reds, he did not get a hit in 9at bats and ended up with a .105 batting average in the postseason; the Reds sweeping the Yankees, 4–0.[28][1]
He was anAll-Star in 1969 and 1972, and made the top 10 in batting average and stolen bases twice.[1] May is the younger brother of Lee May, who played in the major leagues for eighteen seasons. In 1969, they were the first brothers to play against each other in the All Star Game, with Carlos representing the American League (AL) and Lee representing the National League (NL).
While playing for the White Sox he had the rare distinction of wearing his birthday on the back of his uniform, including his surname: "MAY 17."[29][30] He is the only player in MLB history to wear his birthday on the back of his jersey by wearing No.17, which including the name reads as "May 17", when he began his Major League career in the White Sox.[30]
In a 10-year career, he hit .274 with 90 home runs and 536 RBIs in 1165 games. He had 85 career stolen bases and 545runs scored. In 4120 at bats, he had 1127 careerhits.[1]
From 1978-81, May played four years of professional baseball in theJapan Pacific League, for theNankai Hawks. Over that time, he had a .309 batting average, hitting 27 home runs in 1980 and 26 in 1979.[1] His teammates included former major league playerBobby Tolan, who had played with Lee May on the Reds.[31][32] He was claimed by the White Sox in 1978, but he did not want to return.[12]
In 2012, May joined the coaching staff of theSchaumburg Boomers baseball team, in theFrontier League.[33]
May worked for theUnited States Postal Service for 20 years as a mail carrier and clerk after playing baseball.[12] He is currently a community relations representative for the White Sox.[34]
· Baseball Almanac