Jimmie Lee Solomon ’78

Jimmie Lee Solomon ’78 died on October 8, 2020, at his home in Houston. He came to Dartmouth from Thompsons, Texas, and lived in McLane freshman year. A history major who graduated with honors, Jimmie Lee was a member of Alpha Psi Alpha and did a Spanish language study abroad. He was probably best known at Dartmouth for his athletic endeavors. He was a halfback and wide receiver on the football squad as well as a sprinter on the track-and-field team, where he set the college record for the 60-yard dash. Dean Stephens was his teammate on the track team: “Together we tasted victory and stared down defeat. Jimmie Lee ran fast, really fast. He exploded out of the blocks and would cover 60 meters indoors in a record-setting flash. It’s one of those things you don’t forget. He inspired us. His name and Dartmouth record stand visible today in Leverone Field House.” After graduating from Harvard Law School, Jimmie Lee became a partner at Baler and Hostetler. In 1991 he went to work for Major League Baseball, where he rose to become executive vice president of operations. During his 21-year tenure he became one of the most influential sports executive in the country. His responsibilities included organizing All-Star Games and overseeing 17 minor leagues. Among his most notable achievements were the establishment of youth academies to make baseball more accessible to urban youth and the launch of the annual Futures Game of top prospects. He is survived by a daughter, Tricia.