Carlos May
Carlos May is the only ballplayer to wear his birthdate on his back. His uniforms read "May" and the number "17" for much of his career, and he was born on May 17, 1948. The younger brother of slugger Lee May, Carlos was the #1 draft pick of the White Sox in the 1966 amateur draft. In the midst of a stellar rookie season in 1969, May's thumb was torn apart in a mishap during Marine reserve duty. He rebounded from the injury to play 10 seasons in the American League, batting a career-high .308 for Chicago in 1972.
Played For
Chicago White Sox (1968-1976)
New York Yankees (1976-1977)
California Angels (1977)
Born
Carlos May was born on May 17, 1948, in Birmingham, AL.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
Primary Position: OF
Primary Team: CHA
Major League Debut
September 6, 1968
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1968
Ted Simmons
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Hal McRae
Dusty Baker
Richie Hebner
Bobby Bonds
Rollie Fingers
Andy Messersmith
Freddie Patek
Family Tree
Older brother Lee May belted 354 homers in a 18-season career. Lee was a much stronger slugger, but he lacked Carlos's ability to make contact. Both were good defensive first basemen. Carlos was a left-handed hitter, and Lee batted from the right side. Together, the siblings appeared in three World Series, but neither were ever on the winning side. IN three seasons, 1975-1977, when Lee was with the Orioles, and Carlos split time between the ChiSox, Yankees, and Angels, the brothers played against each other. Lee was five years older.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1983 |
BBWAA |
0 |
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1976 American League Championship Series
1976 World Series
Notes
May hit just .208 (35-for-168) in 47 games against the Detroit Tigers... In 200 games batting in the cleanup spot, Carlos batted .289 with a .413 SLG. In 389 games batting third, he hit .266 with a .382 SLG.
Matchup Data
May hit well against Luis Tiant, batting .338 (23-for-68) with six doubles, one triple, three homers, and a .588 slugging percentage against the right-hander.
All-Star Selections
1969 AL
1972 AL
Learn More about Carlos May
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