Buddy Lewis

Who was Buddy Lewis?

John Kelly Lewis, better known as Buddy Lewis, was a third baseman/right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Washington Senators. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Only Ty Cobb had more career hits at the age of 24 than Lewis. Lewis was born in Gastonia, North Carolina.

In an 11-season career, Lewis posted a .297 batting average with 73 home runs, 607 RBI, 830 runs, 249 doubles, 93 triples, and 83 stolen bases in 1,349 games played.

Lewis' nephew is former major league player Hal Morris. Morris' youngest son, John Kelly, is named in Lewis' honor.

During World War II, Lewis served in the United States Army Air Forces as a transport pilot. He flew more than 500 missions in the China-Burma-India Theater and won the Distinguished Flying Cross before returning to the Major Leagues in 1945.

Lewis died on February 18, 2011, at the age of 94, after a long battle with cancer..