View source for Lee Maye

{{Short description|American baseball player (1934–2002)}}
{{Distinguish|Lee May}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Lee Maye
|position=[[Outfielder]]
|image=Lee Maye Braves.jpg
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1934|12|11}}
|birth_place=[[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|2002|7|17|1934|12|11}}
|death_place=[[Riverside, California]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate= June 17 
|debutyear= 1959
|debutteam=Milwaukee Braves
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=June 29
|finalyear=1971
|finalteam=Chicago White Sox
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.274
|stat2label=[[Home run]]
|stat2value=94
|stat3label=[[Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=419
|teams=
* [[Milwaukee Braves (1953–69)|Milwaukee Braves]] ({{mlby|1959}}–{{mlby|1965}})
* [[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|1965}}–{{mlby|1966}})
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1967}}–{{mlby|1969}})
* [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1969}}–{{mlby|1970}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1970}}–{{mlby|1971}})
}}

'''Arthur Lee Maye''' (December 11, 1934 – July 17, 2002) was an American [[Major League Baseball]] player. He played eleven seasons in the majors as an [[outfielder]] for the [[Milwaukee Braves (1953–69)|Milwaukee Braves]] (1959–1965), [[Houston Astros]] (1965–1966), [[Cleveland Indians]] (1967–1969), [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] (1969–1970), and [[Chicago White Sox]] (1970–1971).

Maye was also well known as a [[rhythm & blues]] singer.  He was the lead singer of the Los Angeles–based [[doo-wop]] group '''Arthur Lee Maye and the Crowns''' in the 1950s.

== Early life ==
Maye was born on December 11, 1934, in [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Lee Maye Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mayele01.shtml |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He was raised in [[Los Angeles]], and attended [[Jefferson High School (Los Angeles)|Jefferson High School]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=2002-08-02 |title=Lee Maye, 67; Played Pro Baseball, Sang in Doo-Wop Groups |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-02-me-passings2.1-story.html |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The Milwaukee Braves signed him as an amateur free agent in 1954.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Lee Maye Trades and Transactions by Baseball Almanac |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=mayele01 |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=www.baseball-almanac.com}}</ref> Maye also began his professional singing career in 1954, going by his full name "Arthur Lee Maye" rather than Lee Maye.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Episode #588 - Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns |url=https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/380453?m=false |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=PRX - Public Radio Exchange |language=en}}</ref>

==Early baseball and music careers==
Maye's dual career began at Los Angeles' Jefferson High School. Maye's first high school group was the Carmels, who he sang with throughout high school.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Arthur Lee Maye on Apple Music |url=https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/arthur-lee-maye/285750421 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Apple Music |language=en-CA}}</ref> He also sang in the school hallways with [[Jesse Belvin]] and future members of [[the Platters]], [[the Penguins]], and [[the Coasters]].<ref name=":3" /> He was one of the progenitors of the harmonizing style of singing known as the "Jeff High Sound".<ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Dawson |first=Jim |date=July 9, 1985 |title=Maye Comes In From The Outfield |work=The Los Angeles Times |pages=60}}</ref> 

Maye starred in baseball for both Jefferson High and local semi-pro teams. Milwaukee Braves scout [[Johnny Moore (baseball)|Johnny Moore]] not only saw his potential as a hitter with line drive power but clocked him in the 100-yard dash at under 10-seconds.<ref name=":3" /> Moore, whom the Braves held in high esteem, convinced the Braves to draft and sign him.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grant |first=Jim |date=June 23, 1954 |title=Milwaukee Scout Predicts Move Forward for Pilots |work=The Idaho Statesman |pages=13}}</ref> Arthur Lee Maye later explained, "Baseball was my first love. I could always sing at fifty, but I couldn't play baseball at fifty."<ref name=":5" /> 

He began his professional baseball career in 1954 with a Milwaukee Braves Pioneer League farm team in Boise, Idaho.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Lee Maye Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=maye--001art |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> At this time he also started his professional recording career, joining with [[Richard Berry (musician)|Richard Berry]] and Johnny Coleman to record "The Fine One"  b/w  "Please  Please Baby" as the "5" Hearts on the Flair label (the company put the "5" in quotes as only three sang on the record). They next released "Sweet Thing b/w "Rock Bottom" under the name "Rams." Maye also sang the "di-di-di's" behind Richard Berry on the original "[[Louie Louie]]."<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" />

== Minor league baseball ==
Maye played all or parts of the 1954-60 seasons in the Braves minor league system. Maye played for the [[Boise Pilots]] ([[Minor League Baseball|Class-C]] 1954-55), [[Eau Claire Braves]] (Class-C 1955), [[Yakima Bears]] (Class-B 1955), [[Evansville Braves]] ([[Minor League Baseball|Class-B]] 1955-56), [[Jacksonville Braves]] ([[Single-A]] 1957), [[Wichita Braves]] ([[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] 1958), [[Austin Senators]] ([[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] 1958), and [[Louisville Colonels]] (Triple-A 1959-60).<ref name=":2" /> 

His annual [[Batting average (baseball)|batting average]] was near or over .300 every years but 1957. In 1956 at Evansville, he hit .330, with 24 [[Home run|home runs]], 99 [[Run batted in|runs batted in]] (RBI), 103 [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored and an [[on-base plus slugging]] (OPS) of .934. In 1959 he split the season between Triple-A Louisville and the major league Braves team. At Louisville, he had a .339 batting average with 17 home runs, 79 RBI, 64 runs scored and an OPS of 1.002, playing in only 94 games. He also split time between Louisville and Milwaukee in 1960, hitting .337 in 72 games for the Colonels.<ref name=":2" />

He also played in the [[Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente|Puerto Rican Winter League]] (1958-62).<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Blau |first=Clifford |title=Lee Maye, Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/lee-maye/ |website=SABR.org}}</ref>

==Major league baseball ==
Maye was 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall, and weighed 190 pounds (86.2 kg). He batted left-handed, but threw right-handed.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jefferson {{!}} The Baseball Cube |url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/hs_team/563/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=www.thebaseballcube.com}}</ref>

In a 13-year Major League Baseball career Maye played for the Milwaukee Braves, Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, and the Chicago White Sox. From 1961 to 1966, and again in 1969, he started in more than half of his team's games, with a high of 133 games started in 1964.<ref name=":1" />  Maye was also used quite often as a [[pinch-hitter]] during his 13-season career.

Maye was first called up to the Milwaukee Braves in 1959, hitting .300 in 51 games and 140 [[At bat|at bats]]. He was called up again in 1960, playing in 41 games, hitting .301 in 83 at bats.<ref name=":1" /> Maye won the starting left field position in 1961, but injured his shoulder on opening day and missed over a month of play.<ref name=":3" /> He still appeared in 110 games that year, hitting .271 in 373 at bats, with 14 home runs (his career high).<ref name=":1" /> He and future hall of fame teammate [[Eddie Mathews]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mathews, Eddie {{!}} Baseball Hall of Fame |url=https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/mathews-eddie |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=bhof-tmp.cogapp.com |language=en}}</ref> each hit home runs in every game of a three-game regular season series, which has only happened twice in team history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Athletic |first=The |date=2022-10-07 |title=MLB Awards 2022: Our experts vote for MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of Year and more |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/mlb-playoffs-rules-schedule-news/ZAOV7UOpKmjs/Dzd5fqb9wVjV/ |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=The Athletic |language=en-US}}</ref> 

After an excellent season in Puerto Rican winter ball in 1962, he suffered a respiratory infection that was severe enough to hospitalize him for two weeks, and caused him to miss two months of the Braves season.<ref name=":3" /> He played in only 99 games with a .244 batting average.<ref name=":1" /> During a game against the [[Chicago Cubs]] on August 8, 1962, Maye hit 2 home runs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Braves Box Score: August 8, 1962 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN196208080.shtml |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 

In 1963, he came back to play in 124 games, once again hitting .271, with 11 home runs in 442 at bats.<ref name=":1" /> In 1964, Maye had personal career-highs in almost every category; including 153 [[games played]], 588 at bats, 96 runs, 74 RBI, a .793 OPS, and a .304 batting average.<ref name=":1" />  He also led the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] with 44 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1964 National League Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1964-batting-leaders.shtml |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> On September 27, 1964, he had five hits in a game (four singles and a double) against the Philadelphia Phillies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Milwaukee Braves vs Philadelphia Phillies Box Score: September 27, 1964 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI196409270.shtml |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> (During the same year, his solo album ''Halfway Out of Love'' sold over 500,000 copies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 31, 2002 |title=ESPN Classic - Maye successfully juggled playing, singing careers |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/obit/s/2002/0731/1412190.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.espn.com}}</ref>) After the 1964 season, Maye, along with [[Hank Aaron]], expressed concern about the team's moving from [[Milwaukee]] to [[Atlanta]] for fear of racial discrimination.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1964-10-20 |title=Aaron and Maye of Braves Reluctant to Play in Atlanta |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/20/archives/aaron-and-maye-of-braves-reluctant-to-play-in-atlanta.html?searchResultPosition=6 |access-date=2025-02-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1964-10-22 |title=ATLANTA'S MAYOR IS A BRAVES FAN; Allen Says Shift Would Be Good for Baseball, South |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/22/archives/atlantas-mayor-is-a-braves-fan-allen-says-shift-would-be-good-for.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> He later flew to Atlanta before the 1965 season to specifically dispel the notion that he was concerned about playing there.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Minter |first=Jim |date=March 2, 1965 |title=Jazz Cat Lee Maye Sings Atlanta' Swingin' City' |work=TheAtlanta Journal |pages=20}}</ref>

A 1965 ankle injury hurt his season and career.  On May 1, he hurt his right knee and ankle. To his surprise, after appearing in only 15 games for the Braves, on May 23, he was traded to the Houston Astros for [[Ken Johnson (right-handed pitcher)|Ken Johnson]] and [[Jim Beauchamp]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":1" />   Maye went on to play in 108 games for the Astros that year, hitting .251 with only three home runs.<ref name=":1" /> Playing his 1966 home games in the Astrodome, he hit .288 with 9 home runs. in 115 games.<ref name=":1" /> On August 11, 1966, he once again had five hits in a game (four hits and a double), this time against the Cubs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Houston Astros vs Chicago Cubs Box Score: August 11, 1966 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN196608111.shtml |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Huey P. Meaux|Huey Meaux]] managed his music career during this time. Meaux got him studio time with JAMIE and regular bookings at popular Houston nightclubs.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Milstein |first=Phil |title=The Rare Double-Play of Arthur Lee Maye |url=http://www.spectropop.com/arthurLeeMaye |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005144256/http://www.spectropop.com/ArthurLeeMaye/ |archive-date=2012-10-05 |access-date=2014-01-07}}</ref> 

The Astros traded him to Cleveland before the 1967 season for [[Jim Landis]], Jim Weaver and [[Doc Edwards]].<ref name=":4" />   He hit .259 in 115 games. In 1968, the year of the pitcher,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-17 |title=Kurkjian: 1968 was a magical season for pitchers |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=6534824 |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Maye hit .281 in 109 games.<ref name=":1" /> Maye was traded to the Washington Senators during the 1969 season for [[Bill Denehy (baseball)|Bill Denehy]] and cash.<ref name=":4" />  He batted .290 with 9 home runs for the Senators, in only 71 games.<ref name=":1" /> He had personality issues with Manager [[Ted Williams]] as a manager, but respected his knowledge.<ref name=":5" />  

In 1970, again under Williams,<ref>{{Cite web |title=1970 Washington Senators Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/WSA/1970.shtml |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> he played in only 96 games, hitting .263, when he was released by the Senators. He was claimed by the White Sox toward the end fo the 1970 season.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /> He played his final major league year in 1971 with the White Sox, hitting .205 in only 44 at bats.<ref name=":1" />  All, or most, of his [[MLB]] career was during baseball's second deadball era,<ref>[http://www.baseball'sseconddeadballera] {{dead link|date=January 2020}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} with the major league scoring draught running from 1963-72.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gordon |first=David J. |title=The Rise and Fall of the Deadball Era |url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-deadball-era/ |website=SABR.org}}</ref>

Lee Maye said, "The greatest thrill is not getting to the major leagues. It's staying there.  I played 13 seasons when they had only 16 teams and I think that was a great accomplishment for me."<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Kerby |first=Ray |date=July 16, 2001 |title=The Astros Daily - An Interview with Lee Maye |url=https://www.astrosdaily.com/players/interviews/Maye_Lee.html |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=www.astrosdaily.com}}</ref>  

Maye's career totals include 1,288 [[games played]], 1,109 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], 94 [[home run]]s, 419 [[Run batted in|RBI]], and a lifetime [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] of .274.<ref name=":1" /> During his career, Maye also had eight 4-hit games,{{citation needed|date=February 2025}} including two singles and two [[Double (baseball)|doubles]], with four [[Run (baseball)|runs]] scored vs. the [[New York Yankees]] (April 21, 1970)<ref>{{Cite web |title=New York Yankees vs Washington Senators Box Score: April 21, 1970 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS2/WS2197004210.shtml |access-date=2025-02-04 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Music career ==
Maye sang in a tenor and falsetto. Music journalist and critic Phil Milstein called his singing "deft" and "authoritative".<ref name=":5" /> He was considered one of the finest tenors coming from Los Angeles in the early [[rock and roll]] era.<ref name=":9" /> Maye recorded on over a dozen labels to include Modern, Tower, Specialty, ABC-Paramount, and Buddah, and opened a [[Hollywood Bowl]] show featuring [[Jerry Butler (singer)|Jerry Butler]], [[Billy Stewart]], and [[Barbara Mason]].  Maye told Milstein, "I am the best singing athlete that ever lived. I am not bragging. It's just a fact."<ref name=":5" />

=== Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns ===
He also formed the musical group Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns in 1954, a "West Coast Rhythm and Blues Vocal Group", that also included Berry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Episode #588 - Arthur Lee Maye & The Crowns |url=https://exchange.prx.org/pieces/380453?m=false |access-date=2025-02-05 |website=PRX - Public Radio Exchange |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":7" />  The Crowns had back-to-back LA area hits on the Modern label with "Truly" and "Love Me Always."  On the Specialty label in 1956, they sang their best known record, "Gloria."  They also had an important 1956 record on the DIG label titled "This is the Night for Love."   Maye said of his cross country stops, "I'd watch all of them, any entertainer when I was in a town. You learn from each other. My stage presence wasn't polished, so I'd go to learn how to get my stage presence from the other top guys who did it for a living".<ref name=":5" /> 

==Baseball and music conflict==
Arthur Lee Maye's baseball and music career often conflicted.  He sang under the name Arthur Lee Maye but played baseball under Lee Maye.  Another [[Lee May]] (Lee Andrew May) broke into [[Major League Baseball]] in 1965 and soon put up bigger home run and RBI numbers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mayle01.shtml|title=Lee May Stats|website=Baseball-reference.com|accessdate=January 9, 2020}}</ref> Only one record credits his dual career.  A 1959 release "Will You Be Mine" and "Honey Honey" on CASH had Lee Maye of the Milwaukee Braves on the label.<ref name=":7" /> 

Playing baseball full-time created a time lag problem. Maye said, "When I was playing baseball all the requisite hours, I was a year behind in music, and I never got a chance to catch up with the music trend that I should have been with. I truly was behind the time, and I acknowledge that. Baseball and singing collided".<ref name=":5" />   He also knew that baseball prevented his going on tour to promote his songs.  "When you're playing baseball and singing it's a very tough career for both of those, because you have to be at both places at the same time of the year, and you can't do that".<ref name=":5" />

==Post-baseball career==
Lee Maye tried for ten years after his playing career to find a job in organized baseball.  He failed, as few non-playing baseball jobs existed for blacks at the time. His outspoken views on racism in baseball angered its owners.  And Maye's artistic temperament sometimes clashed with teammates and coaches. Maye later worked with [[Amtrak]] until his retirement.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6" />

==Music career revival==
In the mid-1980s, Maye returned to the recording studio with Dave Antrel and his Antrel Records,<ref name=":5" /> recording "Moonlight" b/w "Happy and In Love."  "Moonlight" captured the later, early 1960s New York street corner sound.<ref>[http://www.roctober.com/roctober/leemaye] {{dead link|date=January 2020}}</ref> Arthur Lee Maye was very proud of "Moonlight."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.electricearl.com/dws/ALmaye.html|title=The Doo-Wop Society of Southern California: Arthur Lee Maye (1934-2002)|website=Electricearl.com|accessdate=January 9, 2020}}</ref>  "Moonlight" made several compilation CDs, played a role in the novel '64 Intruder, and gets airplay on doo-wop radio programs.  Maye had a European tour planned when he became stricken with liver cancer.

==Death==
Maye died at the age of 67 in [[Riverside, California]], of [[pancreatic cancer]] and is buried at [[Inglewood Park Cemetery]] in [[Inglewood, California]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 2, 2002 |title=Lee Maye, 67, Senators Baseball Player and Singer |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2002/08/03/lee-maye-67/4be9c1c4-d69b-4320-b37a-0b31969fd0ce/ |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.spectropop.com/ArthurLeeMaye |title=The Rare Double-play of Arthur Lee May |first=Phil |last=Milstein |website=spectropop.com}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.rockabilly.nl/references/messages/arthur_lee_maye.htm |title=Arthur Lee May |first=Shaun |last=Mather |website=rockabilly.nl}}

==External links==
{{baseballstats|mlb=|espn=|br=m/mayele01|fangraphs=|brm=maye--001art|retro=M/Pmayel101}}
*[https://baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=mayele01 Lee Maye] at Baseball Almanac

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maye, Lee}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:African-American baseball players]]
[[Category:Austin Braves players]]
[[Category:Boise Braves players]]
[[Category:Boise Pilots players]]
[[Category:Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians players]]
[[Category:Deaths from pancreatic cancer in California]]
[[Category:Eau Claire Braves players]]
[[Category:Evansville Braves players]]
[[Category:The Flairs members]]
[[Category:Hawaii Islanders players]]
[[Category:Houston Astros players]]
[[Category:Imperial Records artists]]
[[Category:Jacksonville Braves players]]
[[Category:Jamie Records artists]]
[[Category:Jefferson High School (Los Angeles) alumni]]
[[Category:Louisville Colonels (minor league) players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball outfielders]]
[[Category:Milwaukee Braves players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Tuscaloosa, Alabama]]
[[Category:Washington Senators (1961–1971) players]]
[[Category:Wichita Braves players]]
[[Category:Yakima Bears players]]