Lee Handley
| Lee Handley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Lee Handley 1940 Play Ball card.jpeg | |||
| Third baseman | |||
| Born: July 13, 1913 Clarion, Iowa |
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| Died: Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| MLB debut | |||
| April 15, 1936, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| September 28, 1947, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .269 | ||
| Home runs | 15 | ||
| Runs batted in | 298 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Lee Elmer Handley (July 13, 1913 – April 8, 1970) was a second baseman/third baseman who played in Major League Baseball between 1936 and 1947. Nicknamed "Jeep", Handley batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Clarion, Iowa. His younger brother, Gene, also played in the Major Leagues from 1946 to 1947.
Listed at 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m), 160 lb., Handley was a flashy infielder and a disciplinated hitter as well. He reached the majors in 1936 with the Cincinnati Reds, spending one year with them before moving to the Pittsburgh Pirates (1937–41, 1944–46) and Philadelphia Phillies (1947). He was a rookie Pirate regular at second base in 1937, and a full- or part-time third baseman from 1938 through 1941. His most productive season came in 1938, when he posted career-numbers in games played (139), runs (91), hits (153), doubles (25), home runs (6) and runs batted in (51). He also was considered in the Most Valuable Player vote.
In 1939 Handley hit a career-high average of .285 and tied for the National League lead in stolen bases (17), despite suffering a serious beaning that kept him out of the lineup for 52 games. He also was hurt in an automobile accident before the 1942 season, but returned in 1945 to hit .298 in 98 games.
In a 10-season career, Handley was a .269 hitter with 15 home runs and 297 RBI in 968 games, including a solid 1.31 walk-to-strikeout ratio (267-to-204).
An alumnus of Bradley University, Handley died of an apparent heart attack in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 56.
See also
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Baseball Library
- Retrosheet
- The Deadball Era
- Photograph of Handley at Find a Grave
- Pages with broken file links
- 1913 births
- 1970 deaths
- Baltimore Orioles (IL) players
- Baseball players from Iowa
- Bradley Braves baseball players
- Chattanooga Lookouts players
- Cincinnati Reds players
- Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players
- Major League Baseball second basemen
- Major League Baseball third basemen
- Minor league baseball managers
- National League stolen base champions
- People from Clarion, Iowa
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- San Diego Padres (minor league) players
- Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players
