Milt May
Encyclopedia
Milton Scott May is a former professional
baseball
player and coach
who played in the Major Leagues
from to for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Houston Astros
, Detroit Tigers
, Chicago White Sox
, and San Francisco Giants
. May was a catcher
who hit for a fairly high batting average
during the era in which he played. May drove in the one-millionth run in Major League Baseball history on May 4, , with three-run home run
.
in the 11th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Pirates, who then converted him into a catcher. He was a good handler of pitchers and a left-handed line drive
hitter who rarely swung at a bad pitch, but also was reputedly the slowest runner in the majors for much of his career.
At age 21, May was a member of the Pirates
team that won the 1971 World Series
. In the seventh inning of Game Four of that series, his pinch-hit single drove in Bob Robertson
with the winning run in a 4-3 Pirate victory. Tragedy struck the Pirates in late 1972
, when outfielder
Roberto Clemente
died in a plane crash. May was slated to replace Clemente in the Pirates' lineup in 1973
, with catcher Manny Sanguillén
moving to right field. However the experiment ended by July when it was determined that Sanguillen could not adjust to playing in the outfield and May was back on the Pirates' bench.
After the 1973 season, May was traded to the Houston Astros
for Jerry Reuss
. He became the Astros starting catcher, replacing veteran Johnny Edwards. He led National League catchers with a .993 fielding percentage
in 1974
. May led all National League catchers in with 70 assists
and 47 baserunners caught stealing
. He was also charged with 18 passed ball
s in 1975 for the Astros, who had knuckleball
er Joe Niekro
on their staff. On May 4, 1975
, May drove in Bob Watson for Major League Baseball's one millionth run.
May was then traded to Detroit
, where he played six games in 1976
, before a broken ankle sidelined him for the season. He recovered in 1977
to record 12 double play
s and 0 passed balls. In 1978
, May platooned
with an up and coming Lance Parrish
. By 1979
, Parrish had taken over as the regular Tigers catcher, and May was traded to the Chicago White Sox. After only one year in Chicago, he then signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent
. On June 13, 1980
, during a 3-1 win over the New York Mets
‚ May hit the 9000th home run in the history of the Giants franchise. John Montgomery Ward
hit home run #1 in 1883
‚ and the 8‚000th was hit by Bobby Bonds
on September 4‚ 1971
. In 1981
, he batted .310 -the highest mark ever for a Giants catcher.
In August 1983
, the Giants traded him back to the Pirates for catcher Steve Nicosia
. May retired as a player after the 1984
season.
, accumulating 971 hits
in 3693 at bats for a .263 career batting average along with 77 home runs and 443 runs batted in. He ended his career with a .986 fielding percentage.
for the Pirates in 1987
, serving under manager Jim Leyland
. He was major-league
hitting coach for ten seasons in Pittsburgh (1987
-96
) and two with the Florida Marlins
(1997
-98
). He spend the first half of the 1999
season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was later named a pitching coach for the Colorado Rockies
. May was a scout for the Rockies in 2000
, then spent the 2001
season as a Pirates minor-league
hitting coordinator."
and the brother-in-law of pitcher Pat Osburn
. May was a shortstop at St. Petersburg High School
. He lives in Bradenton, Florida
with his wife, Brenda. He has two children: Scott and Merily.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
who played in the Major Leagues
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from to for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, and San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. May was a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
who hit for a fairly high batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
during the era in which he played. May drove in the one-millionth run in Major League Baseball history on May 4, , with three-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
.
Major League career
Milt was signed as an infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in the 11th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
1968 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
by the Pirates, who then converted him into a catcher. He was a good handler of pitchers and a left-handed line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
hitter who rarely swung at a bad pitch, but also was reputedly the slowest runner in the majors for much of his career.
At age 21, May was a member of the Pirates
1971 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The Pittsburgh Pirates season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Pirates finishing first in the National League East with a record of 97 wins and 65 losses. They defeated the San Francisco Giants three games to one in the National League Championship Series and beat the Baltimore...
team that won the 1971 World Series
1971 World Series
The 1971 World Series matched the defending champion Baltimore Orioles against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Pirates winning in seven games. Game 4, played in Pittsburgh, was the first-ever World Series game scheduled to be played at night....
. In the seventh inning of Game Four of that series, his pinch-hit single drove in Bob Robertson
Bob Robertson
Robert Eugene Robertson is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. Robertson, who batted and threw right-handed, played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays...
with the winning run in a 4-3 Pirate victory. Tragedy struck the Pirates in late 1972
1972 in baseball
-Labor strife and more moving:1972 was tainted by a players' strike over pension and salary arbitration. The strike erased the first week and a half of the season, and the Leagues decided to just excise the lost portion of the season with no makeups. As a result, an uneven number of games were...
, when outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente Walker was a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball right fielder. He was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Clemente played his entire 18-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in...
died in a plane crash. May was slated to replace Clemente in the Pirates' lineup in 1973
1973 Pittsburgh Pirates season
- Notable transactions :* May 4, 1973: Jerry McNertney was purchased by the Pirates from the Oakland Athletics.* June 17, 1973: Rick Langford was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates.* July 5, 1973: Jerry McNertney was released by the Pirates....
, with catcher Manny Sanguillén
Manny Sanguillen
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillen Magan, better known as Manny Sanguillen or "Sangy" , is a former professional baseball player who was a catcher in the Major Leagues. He was named to the All-Star team three times, in , , and . He played primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but also for the Oakland...
moving to right field. However the experiment ended by July when it was determined that Sanguillen could not adjust to playing in the outfield and May was back on the Pirates' bench.
After the 1973 season, May was traded to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
for Jerry Reuss
Jerry Reuss
Jerry Reuss -- pronounced "royce" -- is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the United States, who had a 22-year career from to ....
. He became the Astros starting catcher, replacing veteran Johnny Edwards. He led National League catchers with a .993 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in 1974
1974 Houston Astros season
The Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the National League West with a record of 81-81, 21 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.- Offseason :...
. May led all National League catchers in with 70 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and 47 baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
. He was also charged with 18 passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s in 1975 for the Astros, who had knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
er Joe Niekro
Joe Niekro
Joseph Franklin Niekro was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was the younger brother of pitcher Phil Niekro, and the father of Minor League Baseball pitcher Lance Niekro. A native of Blaine, Ohio, Niekro attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio and attended West...
on their staff. On May 4, 1975
1975 Houston Astros season
The Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The team finished last in the National League West with a record of 64-97, 43½ games behind the Cincinnati Reds. The Astros' .398 winning percentage is, as of 2010, the worst in franchise history...
, May drove in Bob Watson for Major League Baseball's one millionth run.
May was then traded to Detroit
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, where he played six games in 1976
1976 Detroit Tigers season
The 1976 Detroit Tigers season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in fifth place in the American League East with a record of 74-87, 24 games behind the New York Yankees. They were outscored by their opponents 709 to 609...
, before a broken ankle sidelined him for the season. He recovered in 1977
1977 Detroit Tigers season
The 1977 Detroit Tigers finished in fourth place in the American League East with a record of 74-88, 26 games behind the New York Yankees. They were outscored by their opponents 751 to 714...
to record 12 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s and 0 passed balls. In 1978
1978 Detroit Tigers season
The 1978 Detroit Tigers finished in fifth place in the American League East with a record of 88-74, 13½ games behind the Yankees. They outscored their opponents 714 to 653.- Offseason :...
, May platooned
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
with an up and coming Lance Parrish
Lance Parrish
Lance Michael Parrish, aka "Big Wheel", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers , Philadelphia Phillies , California Angels , Seattle Mariners , Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , and the Toronto Blue Jays...
. By 1979
1979 Chicago White Sox season
The 1979 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 80th season overall, and their 79th in Major League Baseball. They finished with a record 73-87, good enough for fifth place in the American League West, 15 games behind the first-place California Angels....
, Parrish had taken over as the regular Tigers catcher, and May was traded to the Chicago White Sox. After only one year in Chicago, he then signed with the San Francisco Giants as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. On June 13, 1980
1980 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* December 3, 1979: Guy Sularz was drafted by the Minnesota Twins from the San Francisco Giants in the 1979 rule 5 draft.* December 19, 1979: Rob Andrews was released by the Giants....
, during a 3-1 win over the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
‚ May hit the 9000th home run in the history of the Giants franchise. John Montgomery Ward
John Montgomery Ward
John Montgomery Ward , known as Monte Ward, was an American Major League Baseball pitcher, shortstop and manager. Ward was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Renovo, Pennsylvania...
hit home run #1 in 1883
1883 in baseball
-Champions:*National League: Boston Beaneaters*American Association: Philadelphia Athletics*Inter-State League: Brooklyn Atlantics*Northwestern League: Toledo Blue StockingsInter-league playoff: Philadelphia declined to play Boston...
‚ and the 8‚000th was hit by Bobby Bonds
Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
on September 4‚ 1971
1971 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:National League: Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League: Baltimore Orioles1971 World Series: Pittsburgh def. Baltimore , 4 games to 3.Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants....
. In 1981
1981 San Francisco Giants season
The 1981 season was the 99th season in Giants history. Giants manager Frank Robinson became the first black manager in the history of the National League...
, he batted .310 -the highest mark ever for a Giants catcher.
In August 1983
1983 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Giants finished fifth in the National League West with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.- Offseason :* October 15, 1982: Bill Bordley was released by the Giants....
, the Giants traded him back to the Pirates for catcher Steve Nicosia
Steve Nicosia
Steven Richard Nicosia , is a former major league baseball player. He played catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1979 until 1985.-External links:...
. May retired as a player after the 1984
1984 Pittsburgh Pirates season
- Offseason :* November 12, 1983: Bob Owchinko was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds from the Pittsburgh Pirates. * December 19, 1983: Amos Otis was signed as a free agent by the Pirates.* January 17, 1984: 1984 Major League Baseball Draft...
season.
Career statistics
In a 15 year career, May played in 1192 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 971 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 3693 at bats for a .263 career batting average along with 77 home runs and 443 runs batted in. He ended his career with a .986 fielding percentage.
Coaching career
May became a coachCoach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Pirates in 1987
1987 Pittsburgh Pirates season
-Offseason:* October 11, 1986: Mike York was signed as a free agent by the Pirates.* November 26, 1986: Rick Rhoden, Pat Clements and Cecilio Guante were traded by the Pirates to the New York Yankees for Doug Drabek, Brian Fisher, and Logan Easley....
, serving under manager Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
. He was major-league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
hitting coach for ten seasons in Pittsburgh (1987
1987 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Minnesota Twins over St. Louis Cardinals ; Frank Viola, MVP**American League Championship Series: Gary Gaetti, MVP**National League Championship Series: Jeff Leonard, MVP...
-96
1996 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; John Wetteland, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Bernie Williams**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Javy López...
) and two with the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
(1997
1997 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians ; Liván Hernández, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marquis Grissom**American League Division Series*National League Championship Series MVP: Liván Hernández...
-98
1998 in baseball
-Headline events of the year:*Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Greg Vaughn all hit 30 home runs before the All-Star break and engage in a historic chase for Roger Maris's single-season record of 61 home runs...
). He spend the first half of the 1999
1999 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves ; Mariano Rivera, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Orlando Hernández**American League Division Series:*National League Championship Series MVP: Eddie Pérez...
season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and was later named a pitching coach for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. May was a scout for the Rockies in 2000
2000 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - New York Yankees*Postseason - October 3 to October 26Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
, then spent the 2001
2001 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Arizona Diamondbacks*Postseason - October 9 to November 4Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
season as a Pirates minor-league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
hitting coordinator."
Personal
He is the son of baseball third baseman Pinky MayPinky May
Merrill Glend "Pinky" May , is a former professional baseball player who played third base in the Major Leagues from 1939-1943. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies. After his playing days ended May served in the military during World War II from 1944 to 1945...
and the brother-in-law of pitcher Pat Osburn
Pat Osburn
Larry Patrick "Pat" Osburn is a retired professional baseball pitcher. Osburn played six seasons in professional baseball, including two in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers . He was drafted a total of four times, but did not sign after his first three...
. May was a shortstop at St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg High School, founded in 1898, is a secondary school located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school's current building, a historic landmark, was built in 1926 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The school was billed as the nation's first million dollar...
. He lives in Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
with his wife, Brenda. He has two children: Scott and Merily.