Len Levy

Leonard Howard Levy

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10 1/2", Weight 190 lb.
• High School Taylor Allderdice High School
• Born June 11, 1913 in Pittsburgh, PA USA
• Died February 2, 1993 in Palm Desert, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Len Levy was involved in baseball for many years at different levels.

Levy began his long time in baseball as a ticket-taker at Forbes Field. He later served as a batboy for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1936, Pie Traynor signed Levy for the Bucs. Levy played one season, going 10 for 57 for the '36 Portsmouth Pirates and 3 for 26 for the Savannah Indians (also in '36) before ending his playing career.

Levy was a Marine in the US armed services during World War II, serving in China. In 1947, Levy became a minor league coach. He scouted for Pittsburgh from 1951-1956, signing Frank Thomas. He then became a big league coach for the team, serving in that role from 1957 through 1963. Levy was the first base coach when Bill Mazeroski homered to end the 1960 World Series.

After his baseball career ended, Levy opened a car dealership, which he maintained into the 1980s in Pittsburgh. The original site was near Forbes Field; Levy used his connections to the Pirates to help sell cars to many of their players.

Levy was later inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He died in 1993 of a stroke and heart trouble.

Primary Source: "Lenny Levy left his mark on the Pirates without ever playing an inning" by Jonathan Mayo in the August 27, 2009 edition of the Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh

Further Reading

• Jack V. Morris: "Lenny Levy", in Clifton Blue Parker and Bill Nowlin, ed.: Sweet '60: The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2013, pp. 237-239. ISBN 978-1-93359-948-9

Related Sites

• Lenny Levy at the SABR Bio Project