Lee Magee

Leo Christopher "Lee" Magee (born Leopold Christopher Hoernschemeyer; June 4, 1889 – March 14, 1966) was a Major League Baseball player and manager between 1911 and 1919. He was the first Major League player to record five straight hits. While he played the majority of his professional games in the outfield, he also played infield frequently. In 1915, he was a player/manager for the Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the Federal League for most of the season. The team was 53-64 under his management.

Lee Magee
Magee in 1913
Second baseman / Outfielder
Born: (1889-06-04)June 4, 1889
Cincinnati, Ohio
Died: March 14, 1966(1966-03-14) (aged 76)
Columbus, Ohio
Batted: Switch Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 4, 1911, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 1919, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Batting average.276
Home runs12
Runs batted in277
Teams
As player
As manager

Magee signed with the Seattle Turks of the Northwestern League for the 1909 season. The Oregonian noted "To provide against a possible loss of [Pug] Bennett, [Dan] Dugdale signed Lee Magee, a fast youngster, who so far has justified the advance press dope of his touters that he handles himself in the field like Johnny Evers."[1] On August 19, 1909 Magee was sold to the St. Louis Cardinals by the Seattle Turks of the Northwestern League.[2]

Fred W. Kleine of St. Louis, Missouri replied to his wife Harriet Kleine's petition for divorce with a charge that she would meet various baseball players at Robison Field and bring them home. In one instance in May 1910, Fred W. Kleine claimed he found his wife drinking beer with Lee Magee, Jack Bliss and Kitty Knight. Another instance, according to Fred W. Kleine, his wife had to assist an inebriated Magee down their stairs. All of the players denied wrongdoing, but said they had been guests at the Kleine's house, which was across the street from the ballpark. Magee responded that it was a leg injury that made him require assistance down the Kleine's stairs.[3] The Oregonian noted that "Magee's name in a divorce suit along with other ball players, is not much of a surprise. Lee was a handsome boy and women admired him. He had an escapade on a sleeping car when he was playing first [base] for Seattle, that took diplomacy on the part of president Dugdale to smooth over."[4]

In 1915, Magee was sued by the St. Louis Cardrinals after he jumped to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops in the Federal League. Jim Gilmore, president of the Federal League, instructed Magee to ignore the suit.[5]

Before his marriage to Beatrice Rogers in 1917, Magee petitioned the court in Cincinnati to legally change his name from Leopold Christopher Hoernschemeyer to Lee Magee. According to The Oregonian this was done so his wife would be known as Mrs. Magee following their marriage.[6]

Magee of the Chicago Cubs and Hal Chase of the Philadelphia Phillies were accused of fixing a game on August 31, 1919 by the Cook County, Illinois grand jury investigating the Black Sox scandal. In response Cubs president Bill Veeck released Magee.[7] Magee filed suit against the Cubs for $9,500 in lost wages and bonuses in 1920. He claimed to have damning evidence which would be the "biggest bomb in baseball history".[8][9] The jury ruled in favor of the Cubs on June 9, 1920.[10]

In 1015 games over nine seasons, Magee posted a .276 batting average (1031-for-3741) with 467 runs, 133 doubles, 54 triples, 12 home runs, 277 RBI, 186 stolen bases and 265 bases on balls. Defensively, he finished his career with an overall .962 fielding percentage.

See also

References
  1. "Dugdale Figures on Likely Bunch". The Sunday Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. April 11, 1909. p. 40. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  2. "Lee Magee Sold to St. Louis". Morning Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. August 20, 1909. p. 10. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  3. "Ball Breaks Home; Visits from Major Leaguers Lead to Divorce Suit". Morning Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. January 15, 1912. p. 8. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  4. "Dug Thinks He Has "Phenom"". Morning Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. January 18, 1912. p. 12. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  5. "Suit Bluff, According to Gilmore". The Sunday Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. January 3, 1915. p. 26. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  6. "Untitled". Morning Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. December 22, 1916. p. 16. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  7. "Sucker Deal Now Before Ball Jury". Morning Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. October 2, 1920. p. 12. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  8. "Heyder Defies Magee to Worst". Morning Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. March 25, 1920. p. 14. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  9. "Lee Magee Asks $9,500 in Suit Against Cubs". East Oregonian. Pendleton, Oregon. April 15, 1920. p. 4. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  10. "Ball Player Loses". East Oregonian. Pendleton, Oregon. June 9, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
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