University of Memphis Athletics
M Club Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1984
Charlie Lea guided the Tigers to the NCAA Regional finals in 1978, was the starting and winning pitcher for the National League in the 1984 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Lea, a Kingsbury High graduate, came to U of M from Shelby State Junior College. He became one of the teams’ leading pitchers in 1978, compiling a 9-2 record with five saves. Lea worked 97 innings in 1978, recording 79 strikeouts. His 3.77 ERA was the third lowest among regulars, and his no-hitter against Arkansas-Little Rock was one of the highlights of the season. Lea’s wins came against such teams as Illinois, South Alabama, Louisville, and North Carolina. Lea was drafted by the Montreal Expos following his junior year and immediately began moving up through the professional ranks. He was named to the Southern League All-Star team in 1979 and 1980, while playing for the Memphis Chicks. He became a member of the Expos MLB club in 1980, and threw a Major League no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants in the May of 1981. Lea was named the National League Player of the Month in May of 1981. He was selected as a member of the National All-Star team in 1984 and was the game’s winning pitcher. After missing the 1985 and 1986 seasons with injuries, Lea pitched two more years in the majors for the Expos and Minnesota Twins. Lea was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.
