Chet Lemon was known as one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball from 1977 to 1987. In 1977, he led the American League with 512 outfield putouts, the fourth highest single-season tally in major league history and the highest tally since 1951. He also totaled over 400 outfield putouts in four other years (1979 and 1983-1985). He also led the American League with 44 doubles in 1979 and led the league in times hit by pitch (HBP) four times, including a career-high 20 HBP in 1983. Lemon was sometimes criticized for not standing for "The Star-Spangled Banner" due to his religious beliefs as a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

A native of Jackson, Mississippi, he grew up in Los Angeles. He was drafted in the first round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft and played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox from 1975 to 1981 and for the Detroit Tigers from 1982 to 1990. He was selected as an American League All-Star in 1978, 1979, and 1984 and was the starting center fielder for the 1984 Detroit Tigers team that won the 1984 World Series.