Norm Lehr

Norman Carl Michael Lehr
(King)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 168 lb.

• Debut May 20, 1926
• Final Game July 15, 1926
• Born May 28, 1901 in Rochester, NY USA
• Died July 17, 1968 in Livonia, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Norm Lehr pitched quite well in his four games with the Cleveland Indians in 1926, for a team that went 88-66 and finished second in the American League under player-manager Tris Speaker. Norm, pitching in relief, had an ERA of 3.07 and a WHIP of 1.023, as compared to the team ERA of 3.40 and team WHIP of 1.355.

Norm also had 11 seasons in the minors, including parts of five years with the Williamsport Grays. In 1929 he was 21-10 with the team.

Norm never made it back to the Indians, but then neither did Speaker. Speaker, in spite of winning 88 games, never again managed in the majors, and was released as a player by the Indians before the season 1927 started as he and fellow superstar Ty Cobb were the subject of allegations that were never substantiated about possibly throwing a game. The Indians, under new manager Jack McCallister, went 66-87.

Some sources say Lehr was nicknamed "King Lehr", but it is not clear whether he was named after the Shakespeare character "King Lear" or after the ballplayer Clarence Lehr, in the majors in 1911, who was nicknamed King Lehr.