Ken Lehman

Kenneth Karl Lehman

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 186 lb.
• School University of Washington
• High School Kirkland High School
• Debut September 5, 1952
• Final Game September 30, 1961
• Born June 10, 1928 in Seattle, WA USA
• Died December 4, 2010 in Sedro-Woolley, WA USA

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Biographical Information

Ken Lehman pitched five years in the major leagues and later was a college coach.

Born and raised in the Seattle, WA area, Lehman turned down an offer to play for the University of Washington after high school, instead signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946. He began his minor league career the following summer, and in 1948, he not only went 17-7 for the Idaho Falls Russets but also hit .385 in 117 at-bats. After missing a season and a half while serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he reached the majors with the Dodgers in late 1952, appearing in four regular season games and making one appearance in the World Series, giving up no runs in two innings of postseason work.

Lehman spent the next three years back in the minors with the Montreal Royals (where his teammates included Tommy Lasorda and Roberto Clemente), winning 18 games in 1954 and 22 in 1955. He was then back in the big leagues in 1956 as a member of the Brooklyn bullpen. Midway through the following summer, his contract was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles for $30,000, and he had his best season in the majors that year, going 8-3 with 6 saves and a 2.52 ERA between the two clubs.

Following the 1958 season, Lehman was selected off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent 1959 and 1960 with the Buffalo Bisons and had one last go-round in the majors with the Phillies in 1961. After being traded to the Cleveland Indians, he played one more summer in the minors and retired. Overall, he won 141 games in his minor league career.

After retiring, Lehman was the coach at the University of Washington from 1964 to 1971, going 96-177 during that span.

Related Sites

• Ken Lehman, Brooklyn Dodgers lefty passes away at 82