All-Star slugger Lee May dies at 74; was member of Reds’ Hall

CINCINNATI – Lee May, an All-Star slugger who put up 100-RBI seasons for three teams, has died. He was 74.

The Cincinnati Reds said Sunday that May died over the weekend. He was a member of the team’s Hall of Fame and lived in the area. The Reds didn’t provide additional details on his death.

Known for wagging his bat before taking meaty cuts, May hit 354 homers with 1,244 RBIs in 18 years. He drove in more than 100 runs in a season for the Reds, Houston and Baltimore. He finished with Kansas City in 1982. He drove in 110 runs for the 1969 Reds, 105 for the ’73 Astros and 109 for the ’76 Orioles.

May starred for the Reds in the 1970 World Series, going 7 for 18 (.389) with two homers and eight RBIs in a five-game loss to Baltimore. He was a three-time All-Star first baseman and was the starting first baseman for the National League in 1972. He also played in the 1979 World Series with Baltimore in a seven-game loss to Pittsburgh.

He hit 20 or more runs with 80 or more RBIs in 11 consecutive seasons.

Born in Alabama, he was nicknamed “The Big Bopper from Birmingham” while playing for Cincinnati. May was enshrined in the Reds Hall of Fame in 2006.

He was the older brother of longtime big league outfielder Carlos May, who played for the White Sox and Yankees.