Charlie Lea

Charlie Lea
Pitcher
Born: December 25, 1956(1956-12-25) Orléans, France
Died: November 11, 2011(2011-11-11) (aged 54) Collierville, Tennessee
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 12, 1980 for the Montreal Expos
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1988 for the Minnesota Twins
Career statistics
Win–Loss record	62–48
Earned run average	3.54
Strikeouts	535
Teams
Montreal Expos (1980–1984, 1987) Minnesota Twins (1988)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1984) Pitched a no-hitter on May 10, 1981

Charles William Lea (December 25, 1956 – November 11, 2011) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1980 through 1988, Lea played for the Montreal Expos (1980–84, 1987) and Minnesota Twins (1988). He batted and threw right-handed.

Lea was drafted three times, by the Mets (1975), Cardinals (1976) and White Sox (1977), but did not sign and decided to go on to Memphis State University. Finally, he signed with the Montreal Expos after being selected in the 1978 draft.

Lea played for the Double-A Memphis Chicks in the Southern League from 1978–80 and was selected an All-Star in 1979 and 1980. After a 9-0 mark and a 0.84 ERA in his last season at Memphis, Lea was called to the majors and debuted with the Expos in the 1980 midseason. He finished his rookie season with a 7-5 record.

In the strike-shortened 1981 season, Lea won five games, including a no-hitter against the Giants on May 10.^[1] He was only one of three Expos to throw a no-hitter, the others being Bill Stoneman, twice, in 1969 and 1972, and Dennis Martínez, who pitched a perfect game in 1991.

In 1982, Lea finished with a 12-10 mark and a 3.24 ERA. His most productive season came in 1983, when he collected career-highs in victories (16), strikeouts (137), and starts (33), posting a 3.12 ERA. Then, in 1984 Lea was 15-10, set personal marks in ERA (2.89) and innings pitched (224.1), and was selected as a National League All-Star where he was the starting and winning pitcher in the All-Star game.

Lea suffered arm and shoulder injuries and could not pitch at all in 1985 and 1986. He spent most of 1987 rehabilitating in the minor leagues and appeared in one inning for the Expos. A free agent before the 1988 season, he signed with the Minnesota Twins, finishing 7-7 with a 4.85 ERA.

In a seven-season career, Lea posted a 62-48 record with 535 strikeouts and a 3,54 ERA in 923.1 innings. He added 22 complete games and eight shutouts in 152 games pitched (144 as a starter).

Lea was inducted to the Tennessee Sports of Hall of Fame in 1999.^[2]

Lea died on November 11, 2011.^[3]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References

1. ^ Expos' Lea throws season's first no-hitter
2. ^ Tennessee Sports of Hall of Fame
3. ^ Former MLB pitcher Charlie Lea dies in Tenn. at 54

External links

• Baseball Library
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

Preceded by Jerry Reuss

No-hitter pitcher May 10, 1981

Succeeded by Len Barker

Persondata
Name	Lea, Charlie
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 25, 1956
Place of birth	Orléans, France
Date of death
Place of death