Jimmie Lee Solomon
| Jimmie Lee Solomon | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 11, 1956 Thompson, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
Dartmouth College Harvard Law School |
| Occupation | Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations (2005–2010) Executive Vice President for Baseball Development (2010–2012) |
| Organization | Major League Baseball |
| Website | Jimmie Lee Solomon |
Jimmie Lee Solomon (born March 11, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball executive who served as the Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations in from 2005 to 2010 and Executive Vice President for Baseball Development from 2010 to 2012.
Solomon was born and raised in Thompson, Texas, a tiny town located about 35 miles southwest of Houston with a population of 246 people, according to the 2010 Census. He is one of six siblings born to Jimmie Lee Solomon Sr., a farmer, and his wife Josephine, who worked at K-Mart in Houston. His grandfather, Jeremiah, was his earliest and most influential role model, as he was college educated and continually encouraged the young Jimmie Lee to excel academically.
Solomon is a graduate of Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas, holds a Harvard law degree and earned a Bachelor of Arts at Dartmouth College. He played for the Dartmouth football team and was also an All-Ivy League sprinter.
Solomon became MLB's Director of Minor League Operations in 1991. He subsequently was promoted to Executive Director of Minor League Operations and then to Senior VP of Baseball Operations. He oversaw major, minor and international baseball operations; the MLB scouting bureau, the Arizona Fall League, and numerous special projects, including the launching of the MLB Youth Academy at Compton College, California.
The All-Star Futures Game was conceived by Solomon. Looking for an event to showcase the minor leagues and round out the All-Star week festivities, Solomon looked at the National Basketball Association rookie game and the National Football League's rookie flag football game and thought of the idea. Since 1999, the Futures Game has become a big event for teams' player development departments, a coveted resume filler for players and programming for ESPN2. Rosters for the Futures Game are selected by Baseball America magazine, in conjunction with MLB and the 30 clubs. Every organization is represented, with no more than two players from any organization. In 2003, Solomon was included in Sports Illustrated's list of the 101 Most Influential Minorities in Sports.
...
Wikipedia