Tommie Agee was a star at Grambling State University and was signed by the Indians for a $60,000 bonus. He made only a few token appearances for the team over the next few years before being traded to the White Sox before the 1966 season. That year, a solid season in which he had 98 runs, 84 runs batted in, and 44 stolen bases, earned him the Rookie of the Year award, a Gold Glove, and a trip to the 1966 All-Star game.

His follow-up performance the next year was not nearly as impressive, despite another all-star selection, and he was dealt to the New York Mets for Tommy Davis. His first season in New York was also a disaster: he was beaned by the very first pitch he saw in spring training and went 0-34 at the beginning of the season on his way to a .217 batting average and only 17 RBIs.

The 1969 Mets were known as the "Miracle Mets" for their worst-to-first turnaround in the National League, and Agee's personal turnaround played a big part. That season, he scored 97 runs and played brilliant defense, leading to a second Gold Glove. In the 1969 World Series, he was instrumental in the Mets' victory in Game 3, in which he hit a home run and made two incredible catches that saved five runs. This game was the high point of his career, though he was productive over the next two years and stitched together a 20-game hitting streak in 1970. After retirement, he operated the Outfielder's Lounge near Shea Stadium. In 2001, Tommie Agee died of a heart attack at age 58.