Lee MacPhail

Leland Stanford MacPhail, Jr. (born October 25, 1917 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a former administrator in Major League Baseball. MacPhail was a front office executive for 45 years, serving as the director of player personnel for the New York Yankees, the president and general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, chief aide to Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert, executive vice president and general manager of the Yankees, and president of the American League. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, joining his father Larry MacPhail, who had been elected in 1978, as the only father and son members. With the death of Phil Rizzuto on August 14, 2007, he is now the oldest living Hall of Fame member. His son Andy was general manager of the Minnesota Twins from 1986-1994 and President/CEO of the Chicago Cubs from 1994-2006 and is currently the Director of Baseball Operations for the Baltimore Orioles.

Lee rose through the Yankees system, contributing to the organization's seven World Series championships from 1949 to 1958, and then moved to the Baltimore Orioles front office. Over 8 Baltimore seasons, MacPhail laid the foundation for the team's rise of the 1960s and 1970s prominence, a success sealed by the 1965 acquisition of Frank Robinson from the Cincinnati Reds.

After serving as Yankees general manager from 1966 to 1973, MacPhail was elected American League President from 1974 to 1984. During his tenure, he oversaw expansion to the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners and was credited with bringing an end to the 1981 baseball strike when he stepped in for the owners to handle stalled negotiations.

MacPhail also played a major role in the 1983 Pine Tar Game, awarding a controversial home run to Kansas City Royals slugger George Brett.

MacPhail currently resides in Delray Beach, Florida.

External links

* [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/macphail_lee.htm Baseball Hall of Fame]