Lee Thomas

James Leroy Thomas (February 5, 1936 – August 31, 2022) played first base and right field in Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1968, appearing for six teams. Acquired by the Los Angeles Angels shortly after the expansion club began play in 1961, he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after batting .285 with 24 home runs and 70 RBI. He earned an American League All-Star selection in 1962 after moving to first base, posting career highs of .290, 26 home runs, and 104 RBI. Thomas finished his major league career with a .255 average, 106 home runs, and 428 RBI, then played for the Nankai Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball in 1969.