Lee, the oldest of six children, graduated from Grant High School in Sacramento with 36 football scholarship offers from major four-year universities. Instead, he began his professional career at 18 as the number one draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in September 1969 after an excellent season at Tulsa where he batted .303.
Lee, one of six siblings, graduated from Grant High School in Sacramento with thirty-six football scholarship offers from major four-year universities. However, instead of pursuing higher education, he began his professional career at the age of eighteen as the first overall draft pick for the St. Louis Cardinals in September 1969 after an outstanding season at Tulsa where he hit a batting average of .303.