Les Layton

Lester Lee Layton

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 165 lb.
• School University of Oklahoma
• Debut April 24, 1948
• Final Game October 3, 1948
• Born November 18, 1921 in Nardin, OK USA
• Died March 1, 2014 in Scottsdale, AZ USA

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Biographical Information

Outfielder Les Layton spent about a decade in pro ball, showing some power in the minors and playing one year in the majors with the New York Giants.

A native of Oklahoma, Layton played at the University of Oklahoma in 1942, at the same time as Dale Mitchell. He then served in the U.S. Navy for a time during World War II. He began his pro career with the Jersey City Giants in 1944, getting into 11 games for the team.

After hitting .289 with 20 home runs for Jersey City in 1947, Layton spent the entire 1948 campaign with the New York Giants. He made his big league debut as a pinch runner against the Boston Braves on April 24th, scoring a run, and then homered in his first at-bat in the majors on May 21st, facing pitcher Johnny Schmitz of the Chicago Cubs. Overall, he hit .231 with a pair of home runs in 63 games that season, mostly as a pinch hitter. His managers in 1948 were two future Hall of Famers, Mel Ott and Leo Durocher.

Layton was back in the minors in 1949 and then spent several years with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, hitting 27 homers for the team in 1950 and 23 in 1951. After clubbing 22 round trippers for the Shreveport Sports in 1953, he played his final pro season for the Wichita Indians the next summer, managing the club for part of the year. Overall, he hit 129 home runs during his minor league career.