Lee May was one of the best players on the Cincinnati Reds for seven years before becoming part of the most famous trade in team history. May was part of the deal that is credited with crediting the Big Red Machine. The Reds traded May along with Jimmy Stewart and Tommy Helms in exchange for Joe Morgan, Cesar Geronimo, Denis Menke, Jack Billingham, and Ed Armbrister.
For most Reds’ fans the story of Lee May ends there. The story though begins before that trade and ends well after it. May was much more than a slugger caught in a moment in time.