Lester Lockett
Nickname: Buck, Lou
Career: 1938-1950
Positions: 2b, 3b, ss, of
Teams: Birmingham Black Barons (1938, 1941-1946), Cincinnati Buckeyes (1940), Chicago American Giants (1942, 1950), Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns (1946), Baltimore Elite Giants (1947-1949), Canadian League (1951), minor leagues (1952-1953), Mexican League (1953)
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6' Weight: 195
Born: March 26, 1912, Princeton, Indiana
A good-hitting outfielder for the pennant-winning Birmingham Black Barons of 1943-1944 and later for the Baltimore Elite Giants in the latter part of the decade, Lockett made All Star appearances in 1943, 1945, and 1948. Usually batting in the heart of the order with both Birmingham and Baltimore, he hit for averages of .328, .315, .408, .249, and .300 with the Birmingham Black Barons for the years 1941-1945, and .313 and .386 with the Elites in 1947-1948.
Whenever the game situation dictated, Lockett could hit with power or steal a base, and his versatility was also utilized in the field throughout his career, when he frequently played in the infield, especially at third base.
In 1950, his last year in the Negro Leagues, he hit .301 with the Chicago American Giants before signing with Farnham in the provincial League, where he batted a disappointing .217 for the 1951 season. The next two years were spent in the Mandak League with Winnipeg and Carman, batting .332 the latter season.
He also played winter ball in Venezuela in 1947 and in Panama in 1948, and played with the Fort Wayne Capeharts, winners of the Wichita Tourney. Off the field Lockett was known as a "ladies' man," but his pursuits that earned him this reputation never interfered with his play on the field.
Baseball Career Highlights:
A powerful, versatile player, Lockett was instrumental in the Birmingham Black Barons' pennant race against the Chicago American Giants. He was selected for the All Star team three times and played in the 1943, 1945 and 1948 East-West All Star games.
Professional/Personal Accomplishments:
After baseball, Lockett became a security operative for the Illinois Department of Human Resources.
Awards, Honors, Titles, Championships,
Schools, Colleges:
• East-West All Star Teams - 1943,1945,1948
• Negro American League Pennant Championship
(Birmingham Black Barons) - 1943
• Milwaukee Brewers' Wall of Fame Inductee - 1998
Sources:
NLBM Legacy 2000 Players' Reunion Alumni Book, Kansas City Missouri: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Inc., 2000.
James A. Riley, The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues, New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc., 1994.
Lester Lockett