View source for Bob Lemon

{{Short description|American baseball player and manager (1920–2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2013}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Bob Lemon
|position=[[Pitcher]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|image=Bob Lemon.jpg
|caption=Lemon in 1953
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1920|9|22}}
|birth_place=[[San Bernardino, California]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|2000|1|11|1920|10|22}}
|death_place=[[Long Beach, California]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 9
|debutyear=1941
|debutteam=Cleveland Indians
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=July 1
|finalyear=1958
|finalteam=Cleveland Indians
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=207–128
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.23
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=1,277
|stat4label=Managerial record
|stat4value=430–403
|stat5label=Winning %
|stat5value=.516
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1941}}–{{mlby|1942}}, {{mlby|1946}}–{{mlby|1958}})
'''As manager'''
* [[Kansas City Royals]] ({{mlby|1970}}–{{mlby|1972}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1977}}–{{mlby|1978}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1978}}–{{mlby|1979}}, {{mlby|1981}}–{{mlby|1982}})
|highlights=
* 7× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1948 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1948]]–[[1954 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1954]])
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1948}}, {{wsy|1978}})
* 3× [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|AL wins leader]] (1950, 1954, 1955)
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders|AL strikeout leader]] (1950)
* Pitched a [[no-hitter]] on June 30, 1948
* [[Cleveland Guardians#Retired numbers|Cleveland Guardians No. 21]] retired
* [[Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame]]
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[1976 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1976]]
|hofvote=78.6% (12th ballot)
}}
'''Robert Granville Lemon''' (September 22, 1920 – January 11, 2000) was an American right-handed [[pitcher]] and [[manager (baseball)|manager]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). He was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in 1976.

Lemon grew up in [[Long Beach, California]] where he played high school baseball and was the state player of the year in 1938. At the age of 17, he began a professional baseball career playing in the [[Cleveland Indians]] organization, with whom he played for his entire professional career. Lemon was called up to Cleveland's major league team as a [[utility player]] in 1941. He then joined the [[United States Navy]] during World War II returning to the Indians in [[1946 Major League Baseball season|1946]]. That season was the first that Lemon was a pitcher.

The Indians played in the [[1948 World Series]] and were helped by Lemon's two [[win (baseball)|pitching wins]] as they won the club's first championship since [[1920 Major League Baseball season|1920]]. In the early 1950s, Cleveland had a starting pitching rotation which included Lemon, [[Bob Feller]], [[Mike Garcia (AL pitcher)|Mike Garcia]] and [[Early Wynn]]. During the [[1954 Major League Baseball season|1954]] season, Lemon had a career-best 23–7 [[Win–loss record (pitching)|win–loss record]] and the Indians set a 154-game season AL-record win mark when they won 111 games before they won the [[American League]] (AL) [[pennant (sports)|pennant]]. He was an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] for seven consecutive seasons and recorded seven seasons of 20 or more pitching wins in a nine-year period from 1948 to 1956.

Lemon was a [[manager (baseball)|manager]] with the [[Kansas City Royals]], [[Chicago White Sox]], and [[New York Yankees]]. He was named Manager of the Year with the White Sox and Yankees. In [[1978 Major League Baseball season|1978]], he was fired as manager of the White Sox. He was named Yankees manager one month later and he led the team to a [[1978 World Series]] title and a [[1981 American League Championship Series|1981 American League Championship]]. Lemon became the first AL manager to win a World Series after assuming the managerial role in the middle of a season.

==Early life==
Bob Lemon was born in [[San Bernardino, California]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |title=Bob Lemon – Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bob-lemon/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lemon made history on mound with Indians {{!}} Baseball Hall of Fame |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/lemon-made-history-with-indians |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=baseballhall.org}}</ref> Later, Lemon's father, Earl Lemon, moved his ice business and the family to [[Long Beach, California]], where Lemon attended [[Wilson Classical High School]] and played [[shortstop]] on the school's baseball team.<ref name="Martin">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f3E_AAAAIBAJ&pg=7192,4228341&dq=bob+lemon+wilson+high+school&hl=en|title=My Favorite Big League Ball Player – Bob Lemon|date=April 6, 1951|access-date=September 9, 2012|last=Martin|first=Johnny|newspaper=[[The Mount Airy News]]|page=13}}</ref> He was recognized as the state baseball player of the year by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) [[CIF Southern Section|Southern Section]] in 1938.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torranceca.gov/archivednewspapers/Herald/1960%20Mar%2020%20-%20July%2031/PDF/00000870.pdf|newspaper=The Torrance Herald|page=8|date=June 18, 1960|access-date=September 9, 2012|title=Baseball Knows No Sympathy|last=Schipper|first=Bill|publisher=Torranceca.gov|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927211258/http://www.torranceca.gov/archivednewspapers/Herald/1960%20Mar%2020%20-%20July%2031/PDF/00000870.pdf|archive-date=September 27, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Later in the same year, at the age of 17, Lemon began his professional baseball career in the farm system of the [[Cleveland Indians]] as a member of the Oswego Netherlands of the [[Canadian–American League]] and later that year, the [[Middle Atlantic League]]'s [[Springfield Indians (baseball)|Springfield Indians]]. In 75 games with the Netherlands he recorded a .312 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]]. The following season he played 80 games with Springfield, and hit .293, and then joined the [[New Orleans Pelicans (baseball)|New Orleans Pelicans]] of the [[Southern Association]], where Lemon hit .309. He spent the next two seasons at the [[Class A (baseball)|Class A]] level with the [[Eastern League (1938–2020)|Eastern League]]'s [[Wilkes-Barre Barons (baseball)|Wilkes-Barre Barons]] as he hit .255 in 1940 and .301 in 1941. In his final stint in the minors, Lemon hit .268 with 21 home runs for the 1942 [[Baltimore Orioles (minor league)|Baltimore Orioles]] of the [[International League]].<ref name="Minors">{{cite web|title=Bob Lemon Minor League Statistics & History|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=August 31, 2012|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=lemon-001rob}}</ref>

==Major League career==

===Success as a utility player===
Lemon's major league debut came as a third baseman as a late season call-up on September 9, 1941.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1EQrAAAAIBAJ&pg=1534,5211259&dq=bob+lemon+200+wins&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon recounts glory years of Tribe|date=June 11, 1978|access-date=September 1, 2012|newspaper=The Nevada Herald|page=8|last=Bradham|first=Kelly}}</ref> He appeared in five games and collected one hit in five plate appearances.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bob Lemon 1941 Batting Gamelogs|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 7, 2012|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=lemonbo01&t=b&year=1941}}</ref> He was joined by [[catcher]] and fellow rookie [[Jim Hegan]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=62pwMklqJ2kC&q=bob+lemon+navy&pg=PA109|title=Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick|year=2012|last=Dickson|first=Paul|publisher=Walker Publishing Company|location=New York|isbn=978-0-8027-1778-8}}</ref>{{rp|p.109}} He repeated the same number of games in the 1942 season and failed to record a hit.<ref name="Complete">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lemonbo01.shtml|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 9, 2012|title=Bob Lemon Statistics and History}}</ref> Lemon served in the [[United States Navy]] during World War II and missed the next three seasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wAgeAAAAIBAJ&pg=5550,6278187&dq=bob+lemon+world+war&hl=en|title=Royals Manager Once A Flop As Major League Outfielder|date=June 14, 1970|access-date=September 2, 2012|newspaper=[[The Daily News (Kentucky)|Daily News]]|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|page=17|last=Moore|first=Roger|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Before leaving for tour duty in 1943, Lemon married Jane McGee.<ref name="Martin" /><ref name="Koppett">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kyMhAAAAIBAJ&pg=2439,5155480&dq=bob+lemon+1941+season&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon: No One Has A Bad Word About Him|date=July 27, 1978|access-date=September 1, 2012|newspaper=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]|page=D|last=Koppett|first=Leonard|agency=New York Times News Service}}</ref>

Lemon was the Indians' [[center fielder]] for [[Opening Day]] in 1946. On April 30, Indians pitcher [[Bob Feller]] [[no-hitter|no-hit]] the [[New York Yankees]]; Feller later wrote that Lemon's "daring catch" and "throwing to and doubling a man off second base" were key in "saving my" no-hitter.<ref name="Feller">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/bobfellerslittle00bobf|url-access=registration|quote=bob lemon.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bobfellerslittle00bobf/page/40 40]|title=Bob Feller's Little Black Book of Baseball Wisdom|last1=Feller|first1=Bob|last2=Rocks|first2=Burton|isbn=0-8092-9843-0|year=2001|publisher=Contemporary Books|location=Chicago}}</ref> By season's end, however, Lemon had entered more games as a pitcher than a utility player.<ref name="Koppett" /> Before that season, Lemon had pitched only one inning while with Oswego and another while with Wilkes-Barre. [[Birdie Tebbetts]] of the [[Detroit Tigers]] and [[Johnny Pesky]] of the [[Boston Red Sox]] had played against Lemon in Navy baseball games, and they spoke to Indians [[player-manager]] [[Lou Boudreau]] about switching Lemon from the outfield to the pitching mound.<ref name="Martin" /><ref name="Tips">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=10gmAAAAIBAJ&pg=4461,4465903&dq=bob+lemon+1947&hl=en|title=Pitching Tips|agency=Associated Press|last=Lemon|first=Bob|date=July 21, 1956|access-date=September 9, 2012|newspaper=[[The Gettysburg Times]]|page=5}}</ref>

Boudreau discussed the potential move to pitcher with Yankees catcher [[Bill Dickey]], who had also played in the Navy with Lemon. "I knew Lemon had a strong arm, and once I realized he was not going to hit with consistency as an outfielder, I thought it would be worthwhile to look at him as a pitcher," Boudreau later wrote.<ref name="Boudreau">{{cite book|title=Lou Boudreau: Covering All the Bases|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8eSUdoov0AEC&q=bob+lemon&pg=PA86|year=1993|last1=Boudreau|first1=Lou|last2=Schneider|first2=Russell|isbn=0-915611-72-4|publisher=Sagamore Publishing|location=Chicago}}</ref>{{rp|p.86}} Lemon resisted the idea at first, but he agreed to the change after he learned that his salary could be higher as a pitcher. Lemon credited Indians coach [[Bill McKechnie]] with helping him to adjust to his new position.<ref name="Boudreau" />{{rp|p.93}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fcxFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794,1627262&dq=bob+lemon+1948+playoff+cleveland+indians+boston+red+sox&hl=en |title=Hall of Famer Boudreau Dies|page=B6|date=August 12, 2001|access-date=September 1, 2012|newspaper=[[Portsmouth Daily Times]]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]|date=October 8, 1948|page=2|title=Rival Deserves Assist on Lemon; Southworth Glad to Leave Home}}</ref> Indians pitching coach [[Mel Harder]] taught Lemon how to throw a slider, a key pitch in his repertoire.<ref name="James">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7FfRLE6I5EEC&q=bob+lemon&pg=PA38|title=The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches|last1=James|first1=Bill|last2=Neyer|first2=Rob|year=2004|publisher=Fireside|location=New York|isbn=0-7432-6158-5}}</ref>{{rp|p.38}} That same year, Indians owner [[Bill Veeck]] said that Lemon "some day will become the best pitcher in the American League".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pEMKAAAAIBAJ&pg=6690,54126&dq=bob+lemon+navy&hl=en|title=Veeck Prophesied Lemon Would Top League Pitchers|last=Reichler|first=Joe|date=July 1, 1948|page=8|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[Daily Record (Washington)|Ellensburg Daily Record]]}}</ref> Lemon finished the 1946 season with a losing record (4–5), the only one he would have until 1957, and a career-low 2.49&nbsp;ERA.<ref name="Complete" /> He followed up his inaugural season as a pitcher with an 11–5 record. He appeared in 19 games before August, largely as a [[relief pitcher]], but he made his first start in July against the [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref name="Tips" /> During the last two months of the season, Lemon went 9–3 and pitched six complete games, including two 11-inning outings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bob Lemon 1947 Pitching Gamelogs|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 9, 2012|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=lemonbo01&t=p&year=1947}}</ref>

===Full-time pitcher to World Series champion===
Before the 1948 season started, team president [[Bill Veeck]] doubled Lemon's contract amount.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PgMkAAAAIBAJ&pg=3883,2855757&dq=bob+lemon+1948+season&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Signs 1948 Tribe Contract|date=January 1, 1948|access-date=September 1, 2012|page=12|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Sentinel]]}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In what would be his first full season as a pitcher,<ref name="Recognize">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SUVGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6471,4161089&dq=bob+lemon+1948+season&hl=en|page=B3|date=June 20, 1998|access-date=September 1, 2012|newspaper=[[Portsmouth Daily Times]]|agency=Associated Press|title=Indians recognize team which won 1948 Series}}</ref> Lemon was the Indians' number-two pitcher in the starting rotation, behind [[Bob Feller]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W-RPAAAAIBAJ&pg=5059,6178320&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Sweet Find For Indians|newspaper=[[Evening Independent|The Evening Independent]]|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|date=May 26, 1948|access-date=September 1, 2012|last=Reichler|first=Joe|page=14|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On June 30, 1948, Lemon pitched a [[no-hitter]] against the Detroit Tigers in a 2–0 win, becoming the ninth Indians pitcher to record a no-hitter and earning his 11th win and fifth [[shutouts in baseball|shutout]] of the season. He ended his breakout season with an AL-best 20 [[complete game]]s. His ten shutouts on the season were the most in the majors.<ref name="Complete" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gxAvAAAAIBAJ&pg=3503,84173&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|newspaper=[[The Ottawa Citizen]]|title=Bob Lemon Hurls No-Hitter For Indians, Humbles Detroit Team To Record 11th Win|date=July 1, 1948|access-date=August 31, 2012|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="Track">{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]]|date=July 25, 1978|access-date=August 31, 2012|title=Bob Lemon has a good track record|page=2C|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Vzw0AAAAIBAJ&pg=903,1580833&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Lemon would go on to win the 1948 AL [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award|Pitcher of the Year Award]]. With three games remaining in the regular season, 20-game winner Lemon started the first game of their final series against Detroit. Lemon allowed three runs on seven hits and the Indians lost the game. Cleveland lost two games of the three-game series, forcing a one-game playoff with the [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1948-schedule-scores.shtml|title=1948 Cleveland Indians – Schedule, Box Scores and Splits|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE194810010.shtml|title=October 1, 1948 Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians Play by Play and Box Score|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bob Lemon Hurls Today for Tribe; Yanks, Bosox Win|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r2EvAAAAIBAJ&pg=5944,117807&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|newspaper=[[The Modesto Bee]]|last=Rhoden|first=Ralph|agency=Associated Press|date=October 1, 1948|access-date=September 1, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Speculation built up around which Indians pitcher Boudreau would send to the mound against the Red Sox on October 4; the choices were largely narrowed down to Lemon and [[Satchel Paige]]. Lemon was listed as Cleveland's "probable pitcher" by United Press International in morning newspapers the day of the game, even though he would be working on two days of rest.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=56EhAAAAIBAJ&pg=4569,1116219&dq=bob+lemon+1948+playoff+cleveland+indians+boston+red+sox&hl=en|newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]]|date=October 4, 1948|access-date=September 1, 2012|title=American League Race Ends In Deadlock For First Time In History|agency=United Press International|page=16}}</ref> Instead, Boudreau went with [[Gene Bearden]], who would be pitching on one day of rest, and the choice was solidified when veteran second baseman [[Joe Gordon]] spoke up in support of Boudreau at a team meeting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gene Bearden Rather Talk About Songwriting|date=April 29, 1976|access-date=September 1, 2012|last=Richman|first=Milton|agency=United Press International|page=2|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fKRBAAAAIBAJ&pg=5144,5665648&dq=lou+boudreau+gene+bearden+joe+gordon+1948+playoff&hl=en|newspaper=[[The Harlan Daily Enterprise]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y40bAAAAIBAJ&pg=6535,1584793&dq=lou+boudreau+gene+bearden+joe+gordon+1948+playoff&hl=en|title=Boudreau Recalls Days Of Action|last=Richman|first=Milton|date=January 22, 1970|access-date=September 1, 2012|page=14|newspaper=[[The Dispatch (Lexington)|The Dispatch]]|location=Lexington, Kentucky|agency=United Press International}}</ref> The Indians won the game at [[Fenway Park]] by a score of 8–3 and prepared to face the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] in the [[1948 World Series|World Series]].

Boudreau started Feller in game one, which Cleveland lost. Lemon was the starter in the second game.<ref name="Forty_eight">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/pl/player_search.cgi?search=1948+world+series|title=1948 World Series – Cleveland Indians Over Boston Braves (4–2)|access-date=September 1, 2012|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Lemon faced [[Warren Spahn]], and Cleveland won 4–1. Lemon was named the starter for game six in Boston with the Indians leading the series 3–2. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits and Cleveland had the lead when Lemon was replaced by Bearden. The Braves scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning but the Indians won the game, 4–3, to clinch the franchise's first World Series title since 1920.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN194810110.shtml|title=October 11, 1948 World Series Game 6, Indians at Braves|access-date=September 2, 2012|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Lemon was the only pitcher from either club to win two games in the Series. He finished the Series with a 1.65&nbsp;ERA.<ref name="Forty_eight" />

Lemon's hitting skills began to get attention as well. By August 1949, Lemon was batting .295 with 11 extra-base hits and six home runs, prompting Yankees manager [[Casey Stengel]] to comment: "Well, I see where the Indians have nine hitters in the lineup instead of eight."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[Sunday Herald (Bridgeport, Connecticut)|Sunday Herald]]|location=Bridgeport, Connecticut|page=36|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IGkmAAAAIBAJ&pg=6641,692209&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Is Demon At Plate|last=Richman|first=Milton|date=August 7, 1949|access-date=August 31, 2012|agency=United Press International}}</ref> [[UPI]] sportswriter [[Milton Richman]] wrote, "Lemon's fine work at the plate has also conspired to tire him more. When the Indians get behind and Lemon is pitching, he rarely is yanked for a pinch hitter in the early innings. It's a tough price he's paying for batting fame."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9AFgAAAAIBAJ&pg=1128,6966332&dq=bob+lemon+1951+season&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Can't Win No. 20 Because He's Just Plain Tired|last=Richman|first=Milton|agency=United Press International|newspaper=The Sunday Star|location=Wilmington, Delaware|page=24|date=September 17, 1950|access-date=September 2, 2012}}</ref> In 1950, Lemon led the major leagues in wins (23) for the first time and won his second AL [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award|Pitcher of the Year Award]]. He pitched a six-hit complete game over the Detroit Tigers in his last start of the season on September 29.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VjwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4957,432899&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Indians Clip Tigers Behind Lemon, 12 to 2|date=September 30, 1950|agency=Associated Press|access-date=September 7, 2012|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|page=12}}</ref> When Lemon signed a new contract before the 1951 season, the Indians made him the highest paid pitcher in baseball.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FIpgAAAAIBAJ&pg=4837,6366573&dq=bob+lemon+1951+season&hl=en|title=Indians To Sign Lemon|date=March 1, 1951|access-date=September 2, 2012|page=24|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review|Greensburg Daily Tribune]]|agency=United Press International}}</ref> At the beginning of the 1951 season, UPI sportswriter [[Oscar Fraley]] pointed out that Lemon was one of only 12 active pitchers who had earned a winning record in four consecutive seasons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TSwaAAAAIBAJ&pg=4704,3877349&dq=bob+lemon+1951+season&hl=en|title=Pitching Power Big Problem In Majors|date=April 7, 1951|access-date=September 2, 2012|page=8|newspaper=[[Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina)|The Times-News]]|last=Fraley|first=Oscar|agency=United Press International}}</ref> He finished the season with a 3.52&nbsp;ERA, lower than the 1950 season mark of 3.84 when he led the majors with 23 wins, and a 17–14 record. The loss total was the most in the AL.<ref name="Complete" /> He did not record his first shutout of the season until well into August, when he earned a three-hit win over the Chicago White Sox.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZR1RAAAAIBAJ&pg=4379,5234892&dq=bob+lemon+chicago&hl=en|title=Mitchell Booms Pair; Indians Cuff Sox|access-date=September 7, 2012|date=August 19, 1951|agency=Associated Press|location=Dubuque, Iowa|newspaper=[[Telegraph Herald|The Telegraph-Herald]]|page=18}}</ref> In 1952, Lemon recorded the second-lowest ERA of his career, 2.50, and went 22–11. His 28 complete games were a career-high and led the AL. Along with teammates [[Early Wynn]] (23), and [[Mike Garcia (AL pitcher)|Mike Garcia]] (22), Lemon gave Cleveland's starting rotation three 20-game winners.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1952-pitching-leaders.shtml|title=1952 American League Pitching Leaders|access-date=September 2, 2012|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>

On Opening Day of the 1953 season, Lemon pitched a one-hitter against the [[Chicago White Sox]] and earned a win.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QgUdAAAAIBAJ&pg=6131,568805&dq=bob+lemon+1952+season&hl=en|title=Lemon off to good start sixth 20-game season|last=Phlegar|first=Ben|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[Sarasota Journal]]|page=11|date=May 6, 1954|access-date=September 2, 2012}}</ref> He finished the season with a 21–15 record, 3.36 ERA and led the AL in innings pitched for the fourth and final time of his career.<ref name="Complete" />

===Second World Series appearance===
In {{Baseball year|1954}}, he was 23–7 and won his third AL [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award|Pitcher of the Year Award]] as Cleveland won the [[pennant (sports)|pennant]]. The Indians set an AL record with 111 wins. (The record stood until major league seasons were lengthened to 162 games, and it has been surpassed twice since then.)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/|title=American League Team Win Totals|access-date=September 7, 2012|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Indians History Overview: The Glory Years|work=[[Mlb.com]]|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/cle_history_overview.jsp?story=3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020063356/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/cle_history_overview.jsp?story=3|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 20, 2007|access-date=September 7, 2012}}</ref> Lemon was named Cleveland's starter for game one of the [[1954 World Series]]. After nine innings, the Indians and Giants were tied 2–2. Lemon stayed in the game to pitch the tenth and final inning, but he surrendered a three-run home run to [[pinch hitter]] [[Dusty Rhodes (outfielder)|Dusty Rhodes]] and the Indians lost, 5–2. Indians manager [[Al López]] went with Lemon again in the fourth game after only two days rest. "He hasn't worked that close together all year because we had a good bunch of other pitchers, but a year ago, he and Wynn and Garcia pitched every third day for practically a month. Bob will be all right," Lopez said.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tVEgAAAAIBAJ&pg=6199,5376792&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Dejected Lopez Puts Faith in Bob Lemon For Fourth Game|date=October 1, 1954|page=9|newspaper=[[The Daytona Beach Morning Journal]]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Lemon and the Indians lost the game, 7–4, as the Giants swept the Series four games to none. In his two appearances, he went 0–2 with a 6.75&nbsp;ERA, allowed eight walks and recorded 11 strikeouts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lemonbo01-pitch.shtml|title=Bob Lemon Pitching Statistics & History|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 1, 2012}}</ref>

Lemon began the 1955 season with a 5–0 record in April, but he was the only Cleveland starting pitcher with a winning record that month.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0aNWAAAAIBAJ&pg=1214,7226330&dq=bob+lemon+1951+season&hl=en|title=Lemon Off To Brilliant Start For Cleveland Indians|last=Lundquist|first=Carl|date=April 27, 1955|access-date=September 2, 2012|agency=United Press International|newspaper=[[Greensburg Daily Tribune]]|page=23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bob Lemon 1955 Pitching Gamelogs|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=lemonbo01&t=p&year=1955}}</ref> His 18 wins tied for the most in the AL that year.<ref name="Complete" /> He recorded five complete games through May 30 but none after that date. Indians general manager [[Hank Greenberg]] got Lemon to agree to his first reduction in contract salary since joining the organization.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ARZRAAAAIBAJ&pg=5327,4866793&dq=bob+lemon+1956+season&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Will Be After 200-victory Mark In 1956|agency=United Press International|date=February 14, 1956|access-date=September 2, 2012|page=9|newspaper=[[The Telegraph-Herald]]|location=Dubuque, Iowa}}</ref> Lemon earned his 200th career win against the [[Baltimore Orioles]] on September 11, 1956, and he also hit a home run that day.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A2hSAAAAIBAJ&pg=6755,4554212&dq=bob+lemon+wins+200th+game&hl=en|title=Lemon Wins 200th, Beats Orioles 3 to 1|date=September 12, 1956|access-date=September 1, 2012|agency=Associated Press|page=11|newspaper=[[St. Petersburg Times]]}}</ref> He finished the season with a 20–14 record, the last of his seven career 20-win seasons, and led the AL in complete games (21).<ref name="Complete" /> On August 13, 1957, it was announced that Lemon would not finish the season due to continued irritation to his elbow after bone chips were found earlier in the season.<ref>{{cite news|date=August 14, 1957|access-date=September 2, 2012|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[The Victoria Advocate]]|title=Tribe's Lemon Out For Year|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ShZQAAAAIBAJ&pg=3454,4475454&dq=bob+lemon+bone+chips&hl=en}}</ref> Lemon ended the season with a record of 6–11, his first losing record since 1946.<ref name="Complete" />

In 1958, Lemon was the oldest Indian on the roster at age 37. Lemon pitched {{frac|3|1|3}} innings over the span of two games before he was put on the Indians' disabled list and sent to the [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[San Diego Padres (PCL)|San Diego Padres]]. There he continued physical conditioning and mentored the pitching staff of the Indians' top farm club.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[Portsmouth Daily Times|The Portsmouth Times]]|title=Indians Send Bob Lemon To San Diego|date=April 25, 1958|access-date=September 1, 2012|page=21|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VMpQAAAAIBAJ&pg=3647,5474793&dq=bob+lemon+san+diego&hl=en|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> He appeared in 12 games with the Padres, going 2–5, with a 4.34 ERA, 22 walks, and 19 strikeouts.<ref name="Minors" /> He returned to pitch for the Indians on May 25 in a relief role, but he appeared in only nine games that season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?id=lemonbo01&t=p&year=1958|title=Bob Lemon 1958 Pitching Gamelogs|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 2, 2012}}</ref> He earned just one decision that year, a loss, which brought his career pitching record to 207–128.<ref name="Complete" /> The club put him on waivers in July.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8DogAAAAIBAJ&pg=4292,355228&dq=bob+lemon+1956+season&hl=en|date=July 3, 1958|access-date=September 2, 2012|page=14|title=Cleveland Indians Ask For Waivers On Bob Lemon|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]]}}</ref>

===Retirement===
At 38, Lemon went to Tucson in 1959 to attend Indians' spring training camp. He told manager Joe Gordon that he was willing to become a relief pitcher, but he retired as a player on March 5, stating, "I just couldn't keep up with the young fellows anymore."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=k-xkAAAAIBAJ&pg=3834,851941&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Announces Retirement: Young Fellows Just Too Fast|date=March 6, 1959|access-date=August 31, 2012|newspaper=[[Edmonton Journal|The Edmonton Journal]]|page=8|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> He accepted a scouting role with the Indians.

{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = CLE 21 BobLemon.png
|Name   = Bob Lemon
|Team   = Cleveland Indians
|Number = 21
|Year   = 1998
|}}
Lemon retired in 1958 with 207 wins, all but ten of them occurring in a ten-year span. He recorded 274 hits in 1,183 at-bats (.232), had 147 RBI, and his 37 career home runs are second on the all-time career list for pitchers (behind [[Wes Ferrell]]'s 38).<ref name="Gallagher">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xEohYBGQfEgC&q=bob+lemon&pg=PA295|access-date=September 7, 2012|year=2003|title=The Yankees Encyclopedia|edition=Sixth|last=Gallagher|first=Mark|publisher=Sports Publishing|location=Champaign, Illinois|isbn=1-58261-683-3|editor=Susan M. McKinney}}</ref>{{rp|p.198}} In 1951, [[Ted Williams]] wrote of Lemon: "I have to rate Lemon as one of the very best pitchers I ever faced. His ball was always moving, hard, sinking, fast-breaking. You could never really ''[[Minced oath|uhmmmph]]'' with Lemon."<ref>Williams, Ted, and John Underwood. ''My Turn at Bat: The Story of My Life''. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1969.  Updated 'Fireside' edition 1988 p. 92 {{ISBN|0-671-63423-2}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=June 17, 1968|access-date=August 31, 2012|location=New York|pages=30–46|title=Smooth and Stormy Seasons – Part 2: Hitting Was My Life|volume=28|issue=24|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1081283/3/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929001229/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1081283/3/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2013|last1=Williams|first1=Ted|last2=Underwood|first2=John}}</ref>{{rp|p.37}} The Indians retired Lemon's jersey number, 21, on June 20, 1998 ([[Mike Hargrove]], the Indians Manager at the time who was wearing number 21 switched to number 30). Lemon was the sixth Indian to receive the honor.<ref name="Recognize" />

On January 22, 1976, Lemon was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|National Baseball Hall of Fame]] by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]]. It was the twelfth ballot on which he had appeared. He received 78.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xxMyAAAAIBAJ&pg=1219,1772780&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]|date=January 23, 1976|access-date=August 31, 2012|title=Fame renews ink of premier pitchers Lemon and Roberts|page=21|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On August 8, one day before his induction ceremony, Lemon said, "It's a great thrill. My mother is 83 but she is making the trip from California. She says she can die happy now that I've been elected to the Hall of Fame."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zOMLAAAAIBAJ&pg=2589,1469167&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon's Mom Can Die Happy|newspaper=[[Evening Independent|St. Petersburg Independent]]|date=August 9, 1976|access-date=August 31, 2012|page=3–C|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Lemon's dominant slider has been cited as a key reason for his election to the Hall of Fame.<ref name="James" />{{rp|p.38}}{{rp|p.278}}

==Post-playing career==

===Coaching===
In 1959, Lemon became a scout and minor league pitching instructor for Cleveland. He spent part of 1959 season, and part of 1960, as a coach with the MLB Indians. In 1961, he joined the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] coaching staff. The [[California Angels]] hired him as their pitching coach for 1967–1968. In 1976, Lemon served as pitching coach for the AL champion New York Yankees. The Yankees were owned by Cleveland-area native [[George Steinbrenner]] and they had been the chief antagonists of the Cleveland Indians during Lemon's pitching years. In recognition of his election to the Hall of Fame, Lemon was named honorary captain of the AL team for the [[1976 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Roberts, Lemon All-Star Captains|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bRgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5523,4286256&dq=robin+roberts+all-star&hl=en|newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times|St. Petersburg Times]]|page=3C|date=July 6, 1976|access-date=August 30, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Managing===
[[File:Bob Lemon 1995.jpg|thumb|Lemon in 1995]]
Lemon's first managerial role came in 1964 with the Triple-A [[Hawaii Islanders]] of the PCL, an affiliate of the California Angels. The team went 60–98. In 1965, the Angels switched their Triple-A affiliation to the [[Seattle Angels]] and Lemon moved with the team. He managed the team in 1965–1966 and won the 1966 championship.<ref name="Minors" /><ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.295}} He was named the PCL's Manager of the Year by ''[[The Sporting News]]'' for the 1966 season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Tk0aAAAAIBAJ&pg=2663,5018142&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Honored as Manager of Year|newspaper=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]|date=September 15, 1966|access-date=September 1, 2012|agency=Associated Press|page=2}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1969, Lemon returned to the PCL as manager of the [[Vancouver Mounties]], affiliated with the expansion [[Seattle Pilots]] and [[Montreal Expos]].<ref name="Minors" /> Lemon said he used Indians manager Al López as a model for his managing style:

:"Lopez always handled his players like I'd want to be handled. He treated men like men. He made them feel relaxed. That's the only way to play this game...by being relaxed. You can't be worried about the manager getting on you. All the time I was at Cleveland, I saw Lopez get mad only twice. He never showed anybody up. I don't do it either."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SW0eAAAAIBAJ&pg=1896,29002&dq=bob+lemon+royals+manager+of+year&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Makes Good Boss|date=August 1, 1971|access-date=September 7, 2012|page=2C|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal]]}}</ref>

[[Tommy John]], who played under both Lopez and Lemon, noticed this similarity. "Lemon was an outstanding manager who never got the credit he deserved," John wrote in 1991. "He was like Al Lopez; he let you alone and treated you like an adult."<ref name="John 199">John and Valenti, p. 199</ref> His approach to the game was to simplify it, trying to make it easier for everyone involved.<ref>John and Valenti, p. 228</ref> Lemon frequently called his players "Meat."<ref>John and Valenti, p. 200</ref>

====Kansas City Royals====
Lemon became pitching coach of the Kansas City Royals for the {{baseball year|1970}} season. He got his first major league managing job when Kansas City fired manager [[Charlie Metro]] on June 7, 1970.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|title=Tale of the Derailed Metro|last=Blount Jr.|first=Roy|date=June 22, 1970|access-date=August 31, 2012|location=New York|pages=43|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1083753/index.htm|volume=32|issue=25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929000320/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1083753/index.htm|archive-date=September 29, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TiIrAAAAIBAJ&pg=5154,5184535&dq=bob+lemon+named+kansas+city+manager&hl=en|title=Metro Fired, Lemon Named|agency=Associated Press|date=June 9, 1970|access-date=September 7, 2012|page=2|newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]]}}</ref> By August, Lemon received a one-year contract extension with the club:
:"I know many major league owners are against hiring a former pitcher as manager and I've always wondered why. Pitching is 75 per cent of the game. If it's so important, why not have a former pitcher as manager? He can always have someone else run the other 25 per cent of the club."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W5JGAAAAIBAJ&pg=4651,2116586&dq=bob+lemon+kansas+city+manager+manager+of+year&hl=en|title=KC Royals Rehire Lemon|agency=Associated Press|date=August 22, 1970|page=B4|access-date=September 7, 2012|newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post|The Palm Beach Post-Times]]}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In {{Baseball year|1971}}, Lemon guided the Royals to their first winning season since the franchise began as an expansion team in {{Baseball year|1969}}. Lemon finished second in the Associated Press AL Manager of the Year voting.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=64Y1AAAAIBAJ&pg=6020,3444001&dq=bob+lemon+kansas+city+manager+of+year+award&hl=en|title=Ex-Expo Williams named AL Manager of Year|access-date=September 7, 2012|date=October 19, 1971|agency=Associated Press|page=13|newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> Before the 1972 season, Lemon talked about the team's chances, saying "Five clubs could win it, including ourselves."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cZBPAAAAIBAJ&pg=7090,1760755&dq=bob+lemon+royals+manager+of+year&hl=en|title=Lemon high On Royals Outlook|agency=Associated Press|last=Moore|first=Roger|date=March 21, 1972|page=10|access-date=September 7, 2012|newspaper=[[Times-News (Hendersonville, North Carolina)|The Times-News]]|location=Hendersonville, North Carolina}}</ref> However, the Royals finished 76–78.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qxMyAAAAIBAJ&pg=783,793150&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|date=October 4, 1972|access-date=August 31, 2012|title=Lemon fired, McKeon gets job|page=47|newspaper=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]|location=Montreal, Quebec|agency=United Press International}}</ref> Royals owner [[Ewing Kauffman]] fired Lemon as manager, saying he wanted a younger manager and "did not want to lose [[Jack McKeon]]", who was named as Lemon's replacement (Lemon was 51 while McKeon was ten years younger).<ref>{{cite news|title=McKeon Named To Guide Royals|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w140AAAAIBAJ&pg=5071,677298&dq=bob+lemon+named+kansas+city+manager&hl=en|access-date=September 7, 2012|date=October 4, 1972|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=[[The Tuscaloosa News]]|page=15}}</ref> Royals outfielder [[Lou Piniella]] was one of several players who disagreed with Kauffman's decision, saying, "...Lemon deserved to manage the club next year."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=A1hQAAAAIBAJ&pg=4002,998778&dq=bob+lemon+kansas+city+manager+manager+of+year&hl=en|title=Royals Blast Firing Of 'Super Manager'|access-date=September 7, 2012|date=October 4, 1972|page=1C|newspaper=[[Evening Independent]]|location=St. Petersburg, Florida}}</ref>

Lemon returned to managing in the minor leagues. His third and final stint in the PCL was in 1974 with the [[Sacramento Solons]], affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers. His last minor league managerial position was in 1975 with the Atlanta Braves’ [[International League]] affiliate, the [[Richmond Braves]].<ref name="Minors" />

====Chicago White Sox====
[[File:Bob Lemon plaque.jpg|thumb|upright|right|180px|Plaque of Bob Lemon at the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]]]]
Bill Veeck hired Lemon to succeed [[Paul Richards (baseball)|Paul Richards]] as the Chicago White Sox manager on November 16, 1976.<ref name="Sox">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TgAjAAAAIBAJ&pg=898,7497797&dq=bob+lemon+chicago&hl=en|title=White Sox Name Lemon Manager|date=November 17, 1976|access-date=September 7, 2012|newspaper=[[The Palm Beach Post]]|page=D3|agency=Associated Press}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Lemon took over a Chicago team that finished in last place in the AL West in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHW/1976.shtml|title=1976 Chicago White Sox|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=September 7, 2012}}</ref> "Bob is the type of manager we need at this stage of the game", Veeck said.<ref name="Sox" /> During spring training of 1977, Lemon said, "I think we'll surprise a few people."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ty9UAAAAIBAJ&pg=7205,5090253&dq=bob+lemon+chicago&hl=en|date=March 31, 1977|access-date=September 7, 2012|agency=Christian Science Monitor|newspaper=[[Boca Raton News]]|page=5B|title=Chicago's Bob Lemon predicts surprises}}</ref> White Sox [[shortstop]] [[Alan Bannister]] quickly noticed a difference. Comparing Richards to Lemon, Bannister said, "He'd post the lineups 10 minutes before the game, and only then we'd find out who was playing and where. Lemon's made it a serious operation."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|last=Gammons|first=Peter|date=May 16, 1977|access-date=August 31, 2012|title=Old Uniforms, New Sox|location=New York|volume=46|issue=21|page=53|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092412/index.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119120107/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092412/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 19, 2013}}</ref> As late as August 14, the White Sox were in first place in the AL West. The White Sox finished with a 90–72 record, a 26-game improvement. The team finished third in AL West and Lemon won his second Manager of the Year Award. "The fans got behind us after about three weeks. They had a lot to do with our success", Lemon said after being winning the award.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[Boca Raton News]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pCdUAAAAIBAJ&pg=5135,7137984&dq=bob+lemon+manager+of+the+year+chicago&hl=en|date=October 18, 1977|title=Chicago's Bob Lemon named AL's top manager|agency=United Press International|access-date=September 7, 2012|page=1B}}</ref>

Lemon was fired the following season on June 30, 1978, by Veeck after Chicago posted a 34–40 record in the first half of the 1978 season. He was replaced by former Indians' teammate [[Larry Doby]]. "This change is not meant as any commentary on Lemon's ability but rather was the result of unusual circumstances which seemed to make a change necessary", said Veeck.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9FwaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5850,55725&dq=bob+lemon+chicago&hl=en|title=Veeck Hopes Doby Is No Lemon|access-date=September 7, 2012|date=July 1, 1978|agency=Associated Press, United Press International|page=11|newspaper=[[The Milwaukee Journal]]}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

====New York Yankees====
Yankees manager [[Billy Martin]] resigned on July 24, 1978, and team president [[Al Rosen]] called Lemon to offer him the vacant position. He was announced as the new manager the next day. At their 1978 Old Timers Day five days after the Martin–Lemon changeover, the Yankees divulged that Lemon would be moved in 1980 to general manager, and they said that Martin would then return as field manager. The announcement was made by public-address announcer [[Bob Sheppard]] after the Old Timers had been announced and it was accompanied by Martin's dramatic entrance from the Yankee dugout. Martin received a long standing ovation from fans. Lemon responded to his new job—and to the newspaper strike that helped calm down the atmosphere in the Yankees clubhouse—by guiding the Yankees to the {{Baseball year|1978}} pennant. The Yankees, who trailed the Red Sox by 14 games at one point in July, pulled even with the Red Sox by defeating them in a four-game September series known as the "Boston Massacre".<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.294}} The Yankees pulled ahead by {{frac|3|1|2}} games, but the Red Sox rallied to tie the Yanks by the final day of the season. A one-game playoff would determine the AL Eastern Division winner.

[[Ron Guidry]] was named the Yankees' starting pitcher for the October 2 playoff game at [[Fenway Park]]. Guidry was able to pitch "because of Lemon's good planning".<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.295}} The Yankees defeated Boston for the division title in the [[1978 American League East tie-breaker game|tie-breaker game]], punctuated both by a dramatic three-run home run by [[Bucky Dent]] in the seventh inning, and an eighth-inning homer by [[Reggie Jackson]] that proved the game's winning run. Lemon became the third manager in MLB history to replace another mid-season and win the pennant.<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.294}} Lemon's Yankees then beat the Royals in the [[1978 American League Championship Series|ALCS]] and defeated the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] to win the [[1978 World Series|World Series]] title. With the Series win, Lemon became the first AL manager and third MLB manager to take over a team mid-season and win a World Series. This was the second World Series championship for Lemon, who had won his last one in 1948; the thirty year gap between World championships set a record for longest gap between championships for a person that was not broken until 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=9 astonishing facts about Dusty's World Series ring |url=https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/dusty-baker-world-series-title-as-manager-facts-and-figures |website=[[Major League Baseball]] |date=2022-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217221053/https://www.mlb.com/astros/news/dusty-baker-world-series-title-as-manager-facts-and-figures |archive-date=2023-02-17 |url-status=live |last1=Langs |first1=Sarah}}</ref> Before the World Series, one columnist wrote, "...many observers feel that Lemon's low-keyed approach with the Yankees' temperamental millionaires as compared to the combativeness of Martin served to mold a spirit of togetherness among the Yankees that did not even exist last year when they won it all."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4QZSAAAAIBAJ&pg=4601,1999100&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Still In A Daze About NY's Great Comeback|last=Madden|first=Bill|agency=United Press International|date=October 10, 1978|access-date=September 1, 2012|newspaper=[[The Telegraph (Nashua)|Nashua Telegraph]]|page=24}}</ref> Lemon and his handling of the season was described in ''[[The New York Times]]'' as "an island of calm in a stormy summer".<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/13/sports/bob-lemon-79-a-hall-of-fame-pitcher-dies.html|date=January 13, 2000|access-date=September 1, 2012|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|title=Bob Lemon, 79, a Hall of Fame pitcher, Dies}}</ref> Changes Lemon made during the season included returning [[Thurman Munson]] to the team's every day catcher (he had been playing in the outfield), putting Jackson in the clean-up spot in the batting order and becoming the regular right fielder, and pitching [[Ed Figueroa]] every fourth day (instead of fifth).<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.295}} In October, Lemon was named the Associated Press' AL Manager of the Year, the second time he received such an award.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l9heAAAAIBAJ&pg=1221,624503&dq=bob+lemon+manager+of+the+year+chicago&hl=en|title=Bob Lemon Is AL Manager Of The Year|date=October 25, 1978|access-date=September 7, 2012|agency=Associated Press|page=22|newspaper=[[The Portsmouth Times]]}}</ref>

Lemon's 26-year-old son, Jerry, was killed in an automobile accident in the fall of 1978, 10 days after Lemon won the [[1978 World Series|World Series]].<ref name="Richman">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DE5SAAAAIBAJ&pg=6649,2906172&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en|title=As usual, Lemon goes gracefully|date=June 19, 1981|access-date=September 1, 2012|last=Richman|first=Milton|agency=United Press International|newspaper=[[Tampa Bay Times|St. Petersburg Times]]|page=8C}}</ref> Tommy John thought this was distracting him from fully focusing on baseball as the 1979 season began.<ref name="John 199"/> In early June, several of the players got rowdy on a plane flight to Texas, blaring loud music from their cassette players. Lemon did nothing to intervene, which John thought might have prompted his dismissal.<ref>John and Valenti, p. 201</ref> With the Yankees at 34–31, Lemon was fired in June by Steinbrenner and replaced by Martin, but he remained with the organization as he had a contract through the 1982 season. Speaking of Martin, Lemon said, "He's a very likeable guy, a free spirit. Where maybe I keep things inside, he lets them come out. There's nothing wrong with that."<ref name="Richman" /> The Yankees finished in fourth place in the AL East (89–71).<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.292}} Lemon worked as a scout for the Yankees and received "several offers" from other teams to serve as manager.<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.295}} One offer came in 1979 from the Indians, but Lemon refused it as well as the others.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2klDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5392,245790&dq=bob+lemon+kansas+city+manager+manager+of+year&hl=en|title=Lemon May Manage Cleveland Indians|date=July 1, 1979|access-date=September 7, 2012|page=1B|agency=United Press International|newspaper=Frederick Daily Leader}}</ref>

====Second stint with Yankees====
Steinbrenner named Lemon the team's field manager a second time on September 6, 1981, the sixth Yankees' manager change since 1978 after firing [[Gene Michael]], who also had served as general manager and had won the first half of the split season.<ref>{{cite news|location=Portsmouth, Ohio|newspaper=[[Portsmouth Daily Times|The Daily Times]]|date=September 7, 1981|agency=Associated Press|access-date=September 1, 2012|title=Bob Lemon Named Yankees' Manager|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pbhQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5034,641892&dq=bob+lemon&hl=en}}</ref> The Yankees moved on to the postseason and dispatched the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] and the Billy Martin-led [[Oakland Athletics]], and won the first two games of the [[1981 World Series]] against the Dodgers, only to lose four straight and the Series. Lemon survived just a few weeks into the 1982 season (the Yankees were 6–8) before Steinbrenner dismissed him one last time, despite a promise from Steinbrenner he would manage the season "no matter what".<ref name="Gallagher" />{{rp|p.295}}<ref name="Wulf">{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125506/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929001241/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1125506/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 29, 2013|title=This Time George Went Overboard|last=Wulf|first=Steve|date=May 10, 1982|access-date=August 31, 2012|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|location=New York|pages=40–45|volume=56|issue=19}}</ref>{{rp|p.40}} Lemon had considered resigning a week before because of Steinbrenner's constant criticisms, but coach [[Mike Ferraro]] talked him out of it.<ref name="John 233">John and Valenti, p. 233</ref> Of the agreement between Lemon and Steinbrenner, Steinbrenner said, "Lem and I talked. He said it was O.K. He said he didn't take it as a promise anyway."<ref name="Wulf" />{{rp|p.45}} Tommy John thought Lemon "was relieved" at Steinbrenner's decision.<ref name="John 233"/> [[Gene Michael]] succeeded Lemon as manager. All in all, Lemon had managed just over one full season of games (172) for the Yankees, winning 99 games for a .576 winning percentage.<ref name="managerial record">{{cite web|title=Bob Lemon|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/lemonbo01.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref>

====Managerial record====
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Games!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
|-
![[1970 Kansas City Royals season|KC]]|| {{mlby|1970}}
||110||{{WinLossPct|46|64}}|| 4th in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1971 Kansas City Royals season|KC]]|| {{mlby|1971}}
||161||{{WinLossPct|85|76}}|| 2nd in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1972 Kansas City Royals season|KC]]|| {{mlby|1972}}
||154||{{WinLossPct|76|78}}|| 4th in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|KC total ||425||{{WinLossPct|207|218}}|| || {{WinLossPct|0|0}} ||
|-
![[1977 Chicago White Sox season|CWS]]|| {{mlby|1977}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|90|72}}|| 3rd in AL West || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1978 Chicago White Sox season|CWS]]|| {{mlby|1978}}
||74||{{WinLossPct|34|40}}|| fired || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|CWS total ||236||{{WinLossPct|124|112}}|| || {{WinLossPct|0|0}} ||
|-style="background:#fde910"
![[1978 New York Yankees season|NYY]]|| {{mlby|1978}}
||68||{{WinLossPct|48|20}}|| '''1st in AL East''' || {{WinLossPct|7|3}} || '''Won [[1978 World Series|World Series]] ([[1978 Los Angeles Dodgers season|LAD]])'''
|-
![[1979 New York Yankees season|NYY]]|| {{mlby|1979}}
||65||{{WinLossPct|34|31}}|| fired || – || – || – || –
|-
!colspan="11"|
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1981 New York Yankees season|NYY]]|| {{mlby|1981}}
||25||{{WinLossPct|11|14}}|| 6th in AL East || {{WinLossPct|8|6}} || Lost [[1981 World Series|World Series]] ([[1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season|LAD]])
|-
![[1982 New York Yankees season|NYY]]|| {{mlby|1982}}
||14||{{WinLossPct|6|8}}|| fired || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|NYY total ||172||{{WinLossPct|99|73}}|| || {{WinLossPct|15|9}} ||
|-
! colspan="2"|Total<ref name="managerial record"/> ||833||{{WinLossPct|430|403}}|| || {{WinLossPct|15|9}} || 
|}

==Highlights and awards==
* 7× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1948 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1948]], [[1949 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1949]], [[1950 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1950]], [[1951 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1951]], [[1952 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1952]], [[1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1953]], [[1954 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1954]])<ref name="Complete" />
* 7× 20-plus wins in a season (1948–1950, 1952–1954, 1956)
* 5× AL leader in complete games ([[1948 Major League Baseball season|1948]], [[1950 Major League Baseball season|1950]], [[1952 Major League Baseball season|1952]], [[1954 Major League Baseball season|1954]], [[1956 Major League Baseball season|1956]])
* Led MLB in shutouts (10, 1948)
* 5× led MLB or AL in [[putouts]] (1948–1949, 1952–1954)
* 6× led MLB or AL in [[assist (baseball)|assists]] (1948–1949, 1951–1953, 1956)
* 3× finished fifth in [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] voting (1948, 1950, 1954)
* [[1948 World Series|World Series]] Champion, player ([[1948 World Series|1948]])
* Led AL in strikeouts (170, 1950)
* 3x AL [[Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award|Pitcher of the Year Award]] (1948, 1950, 1954) 
* 2× MLB leader in wins (1950, 1954)
* Major league record for pitcher 15 double plays in one season ([[1953 Major League Baseball season|1953]])<ref name="Track" />
* Led AL in wins ([[1955 Major League Baseball season|1955]])
* [[1978 World Series|World Series]] Champion, manager ([[1978 World Series|1978]])
* #21 number retired by Cleveland Indians<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/retired_numbers.jsp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813131750/http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/history/retired_numbers.jsp|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 13, 2007|title=Indians Retired Numbers|work=[[Mlb.com]]|access-date=August 31, 2012}}</ref>
* In 2013, the [[Bob Feller Act of Valor Award]] honored Lemon as one of 37 Baseball Hall of Fame members for his service in the United States Navy during World War II.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://actofvaloraward.org/hof-players/|title=WWII HOF Players – Act of Valor Award|access-date=August 11, 2021|archive-date=October 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008204152/https://actofvaloraward.org/hof-players/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Death==
Lemon suffered a stroke in his later years.<ref name="Recognize" /> Lemon died in 2000 in [[Long Beach, California]], where he had been a permanent resident since his career as a player. Former teammate Bob Feller said, "Bob had a good curve, a good slider, and a vicious sinker pitch. He wasn't overly fast, but he always stayed ahead of the hitters and he didn't walk many batters, which is the key to success in the majors."<ref name="Feller" />

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
*[[List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball all-time leaders in home runs by pitchers]]
*[[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball no-hitters]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

*{{cite book|last1=John|first1=Tommy|last2=Valenti|first2=Dan|title=TJ: My Twenty-Six Years in Baseball|publisher=Bantam|location=New York|year=1991|isbn=0-553-07184-X}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{Baseball Hall of Fame profile|lemon-bob}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=117671|espn=24199|br=l/lemonbo01|fangraphs=1007517|brm=lemon-001rob|retro=L/Plemob101}}
*{{baseball-reference manager|lemonbo01}}
*{{SABR Baseball Biography Project|c865a70f}}
*[https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/bob-lemon-oral-history-interview-1982-february-22-0 Bob Lemon Oral History Interview (1 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017005654/https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/bob-lemon-oral-history-interview-1982-february-22-0 |date=October 17, 2020 }}
*[https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/bob-lemon-oral-history-interview-1982-february-22-2 Bob Lemon Oral History Interview (2 of 2) - National Baseball Hall of Fame Digital Collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016203218/https://collection.baseballhall.org/PASTIME/bob-lemon-oral-history-interview-1982-february-22-2 |date=October 16, 2020 }}
:

{{s-start|header={{s-ach}}}}
{{succession box |title=[[List of Major League Baseball no-hitters|No-hitter pitcher]] | before=[[Bill McCahan]] |years=June 30, 1948 |after=[[Rex Barney]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{1976 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}
{{1948 Cleveland Indians}}
{{1978 New York Yankees}}
{{AL wins champions}}
{{AL strikeout champions}}
{{Cleveland Guardians HOF}}
{{Cleveland Indians retired numbers}}
{{Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame}}
{{Cleveland Indians Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{Kansas City Royals managers}}
{{Chicago White Sox managers}}
{{Yankeesmanager}}
{{Cleveland Indians}}
{{New York Yankees HOF}}
{{Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year Award}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lemon, Bob}}
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