A speedy runner, Lum was converted to an outfielder in the Braves' organization after having played first base in high school. He logged just a .925 fielding percentage his first professional season with the Waycross BravesGeorgia–Florida League, but his defense steadily improved over his five seasons in the minors.
Atlanta Braves
Making his major league debut as a pinch hitter on September 12, 1967, Lum singled in his first major league at-bat against the New York Mets' Jack Fisher. With the Braves trailing 3-2 in the ninth, Lum came around to score the game tying run of their 4-3 victory.[4] He started the second game of a September 17 double header in centerfield, and remained the team's starting center fielder over the remainder of the season.
On May 22, 1969, with the Braves leading the Mets 12-0 in the 7th inning, Mike pitch-hit for Hank Aaron who was 2 for 3 with a home run, single and a walk. Lum doubled. He was one of three players to ever pinch-hit for Aaron.
The Braves platooned Lum and Ralph Garr in right field in 1972. In 1973, Aaron was moved back into the outfield, and Lum began seeing most of his playing time at first base. He batted a career-high .294, while also logging career highs in home runs (16), runs batted in (82), runs scored (74), extra base hits (48) and at-bats (513). After two more seasons as a fourth outfielder and back-up first baseman, Lum was acquired by the defending World Series Champion Cincinnati Reds for Darrel Chaney on December 12, 1975.[7]
Cincinnati Reds
Playing time was hard to come by for the "spare parts" of the "Big Red Machine." Lum saw far less playing time in Cincinnati than he was used to, as he averaged just 156 plate appearances per season in his three years with the Reds. In 1976, he reached the post-season for the second time in his career. He logged just one at-bat in the 1976 National League Championship Series with the Philadelphia Phillies, flying out in game three to end the seventh inning.[8] He never came to bat in the World Series against the New York Yankees.
Following the 1978 season, Lum took part in a tour of Japan with the Cincinnati Reds.[9] Aware that Lum was to become a free agent at the end of the season, the Seibu Lions offered him a three-year deal worth one million dollars. He declined, returning to the Braves, instead.[10]
Lum began the 1979 season as the Braves' starting first baseman, however, star catcherDale Murphy was moved to first base at the start of May, removing Lum from the starting line-up. Delegated to pinch hitting duties, Lum led the National League with seventeen. He remained in that role until his release on May 1, 1981. He signed with the Chicago Cubs shortly afterwards; on August 12, he clubbed a two-run home run off Terry Leach of the New York Mets for the 100th pinch hit of his career.[11]
Lum batted .246 as a pinch hitter over his career. On May 22, 1969, Lum cracked a two RBI double off the New York Mets' Al Jackson pinch hitting for Hank Aaron.[12] He is one of only six players ever to pinch hit for Aaron. Lee Maye had done so in 1962 and Johnny Blanchard in 1965. Johnny Briggs, Marty Perez, and Mike Hegan did it after Lum.
Coaching
Lum joined the Yokohama Taiyo Whales in 1982, and batted .269 with twelve home runs and 46 RBIs. Following his one season in Japan, Hank Aaron, now the Braves' minor-league farm director, invited Lum to Spring training1983 to coach with the extended Spring program. Following Spring training, he became a coach with the Anderson Braves of the South Atlantic League.[13]
He jumped to the Chicago White Sox organization in 1984. Following the passing of White Sox hitting coachCharley Lau that March, Lum assisted his replacement, Joe Nossek over the rest of the season. The job was given to Lum exclusively in 1985. He was fired at the end of the season despite the fact that the Chisox won eleven more games, drove in 55 more runs, and had a higher batting average (.253, vs .247 in 1984).
He joined the San Francisco Giants in 1986 as a roving instructor. The following season, he held the same job with the Kansas City Royals. He became their major league hitting coach in 1988 and 1989 before returning to the White Sox in 1990 as minor-league hitting coordinator. He remained at that post through 2005. In 2006 he joined the Milwaukee Brewers organization as hitting coach for the class A South Atlantic League's West Virginia Power, and was named the South Atlantic League "Coach of the Year."
