Lenny was inducted into both the baseball and football Hall of Fame at his alma mater, Arizona State University in 1980. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University, professional baseball selected him as the #1 draft choice.
Lenny's career in the major leagues lasted for approximately 17 years, during which time he played for the California Angels, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and the Chicago Cubs. He was also the first American major league player to play baseball in Italy. He holds the record for the longest homerun in Italy, most homeruns and singles hit in a three game series and the most hits in a three game series. He was the batting champion in Italy with a .477 average.