Jerry Lumpe, who played the infield for the Yankees in two World Series in the 1950s and was later an All-Star second baseman with the Detroit Tigers, died on Friday in Springfield, Mo. He was 81.

His wife, Vivian Lumpe, said the cause was cancer.

When Lumpe (pronounced Lumpy) made his Yankee debut in 1956, he had something in common with Mickey Mantle. Both were from the Ozarks — Mantle an Oklahoman and Lumpe from Missouri — and both had been signed by the Yankee scout Tom Greenwade.

But Lumpe was never destined for great things with the team. He played only briefly as a rookie, then shared duties at third base and shortstop in the seasons that followed. He appeared with the Yankees when they lost to the Milwaukee Braves in the 1957 World Series and when they defeated the Braves in the Series the next year.

Lumpe was traded to the Kansas City Athletics in May 1959 in a five-player deal that brought pitcher Ralph Terry and infielder Hector Lopez to the Yankees. He played mostly at second base after that.