Thornton Lee
Born: 9/13/1906 in Sonoma, CA, USA
Died: 6/9/1997 in Tucson, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1933-09-19 | Final Game: 1948-06-18
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: Thornton Starr Lee
Biography
Thornton Lee was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1933 to 1948. Born in 1906, Lee emerged as a notable talent during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball period to a more offensive-minded approach in the game. He played for several teams, most notably the Chicago White Sox, where he showcased his skills on the mound. Over his career, Lee compiled a record of 117 wins and 124 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.56. His ability to strike out batters was evident, as he accumulated a total of 937 strikeouts, alongside 10 saves.
Lee's contributions to the game were recognized through his selection as an All-Star on two occasions, highlighting his status among his peers during his playing days. Known for his competitive spirit and durability, he navigated the challenges of a lengthy career that saw him face some of the game's greatest hitters. Thornton Leeβs legacy is marked by both his individual achievements and his role in the evolution of pitching in baseball, as he adapted to the changing dynamics of the sport during his time.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 117 | 124 | 374 | 272 | 155 | 14 | 10 | 2331.3 | 2327 | 921 | 121 | 838 | 937 | 3.56 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | CLE | AL | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17.3 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 4.15 | -364.3 |
| 1934 | CLE | AL | 1 | 1 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85.7 | 105 | 48 | 44 | 41 | 5.04 | -1619.9 |
| 1935 | CLE | AL | 7 | 10 | 32 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 180.7 | 179 | 81 | 71 | 81 | 4.04 | 1876.2 |
| 1936 | CLE | AL | 3 | 5 | 43 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 127.0 | 138 | 69 | 67 | 49 | 4.89 | 637.2 |
| 1937 | CHW | AL | 12 | 10 | 30 | 25 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 204.7 | 209 | 80 | 60 | 80 | 3.52 | - |
| 1938 | CHW | AL | 13 | 12 | 33 | 30 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 245.3 | 252 | 95 | 94 | 77 | 3.49 | - |
| 1939 | CHW | AL | 15 | 11 | 33 | 29 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 235.0 | 260 | 110 | 70 | 81 | 4.21 | - |
| 1940 | CHW | AL | 12 | 13 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 228.0 | 223 | 88 | 56 | 87 | 3.47 | - |
| 1941 | CHW | AL | 22 | 11 | 35 | 34 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 300.3 | 258 | 79 | 92 | 130 | 2.37 | - |
| 1942 | CHW | AL | 2 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 76.0 | 82 | 28 | 31 | 25 | 3.32 | - |
| 1943 | CHW | AL | 5 | 9 | 19 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 127.0 | 129 | 59 | 50 | 35 | 4.18 | - |
| 1944 | CHW | AL | 3 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 113.3 | 105 | 38 | 25 | 39 | 3.02 | - |
| 1945 | CHW | AL | 15 | 12 | 29 | 28 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 228.3 | 208 | 62 | 76 | 108 | 2.44 | - |
| 1946 | CHW | AL | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43.3 | 39 | 17 | 23 | 23 | 3.53 | - |
| 1947 | CHW | AL | 3 | 7 | 21 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 86.7 | 86 | 43 | 56 | 57 | 4.47 | - |
| 1948 | NY1 | NL | 1 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32.7 | 41 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 4.41 | 94.4 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 375 | 835 | 63 | 167 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 66 | 0 | 27 | 208 | 0.200 | 0.226 | 0.253 | 0.479 | -2689.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | CLE | AL | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.375 | 0.0 |
| 1934 | CLE | AL | 24 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.095 | 0.0 |
| 1935 | CLE | AL | 32 | 61 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0.197 | -371.1 |
| 1936 | CLE | AL | 43 | 41 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0.122 | 0.0 |
| 1937 | CHW | AL | 30 | 71 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0.211 | -378.2 |
| 1938 | CHW | AL | 34 | 97 | 14 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0.258 | -159.1 |
| 1939 | CHW | AL | 33 | 91 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0.165 | -739.5 |
| 1940 | CHW | AL | 28 | 84 | 7 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 0.274 | -192.1 |
| 1941 | CHW | AL | 35 | 114 | 7 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0.254 | -369.0 |
| 1942 | CHW | AL | 11 | 30 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1943 | CHW | AL | 19 | 42 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.071 | 0.0 |
| 1944 | CHW | AL | 15 | 42 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.095 | 0.0 |
| 1945 | CHW | AL | 29 | 78 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 0.179 | -480.1 |
| 1946 | CHW | AL | 7 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.267 | 0.0 |
| 1947 | CHW | AL | 21 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0.207 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | NY1 | NL | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.091 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 374 | 0 | 67 | 428 | 38 | 21 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | CLE | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934 | CLE | P | 24 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 1 |
| 1935 | CLE | P | 32 | 0 | 11 | 41 | 3 | 3 |
| 1936 | CLE | P | 43 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 2 | 0 |
| 1937 | CHA | P | 30 | 0 | 9 | 34 | 3 | 0 |
| 1938 | CHA | P | 33 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 5 | 2 |
| 1939 | CHA | P | 33 | 0 | 6 | 45 | 2 | 0 |
| 1940 | CHA | P | 28 | 0 | 5 | 31 | 4 | 2 |
| 1941 | CHA | P | 35 | 0 | 10 | 52 | 5 | 2 |
| 1942 | CHA | P | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| 1943 | CHA | P | 19 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| 1944 | CHA | P | 15 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 2 | 2 |
| 1945 | CHA | P | 29 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 2 | 4 |
| 1946 | CHA | P | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| 1947 | CHA | P | 21 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
| 1948 | NY1 | P | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 374 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P3 |
| 1941 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P2 |
| 1941 | TSN All-Star | P |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | CA | 1925, 1926 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 144.0 | 336 | 1 |