Lefty Gómez
Encyclopedia
Vernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez (November 26, 1908 – February 17, 1989) was an American left-handed major league
pitcher
who played in the American League
for the New York Yankees
between 1930 and 1942. Considered one of the great pitchers of the day, Gomez was a seven-time All-Star and a five-time World Series Champion with the Yankees. He was also known for his colorful personality and humor throughout his career and life.
. His father, Francisco Gomez, had been born in California to a Spanish father, Juan Gomez, and a Portuguese mother, Rita. His mother, Lizzie Herring, was an American of Welsh-Irish descent. He played sandlot baseball in Oakland while attending Richmond High School. It was during that timeframe that he was recruited by the San Francisco Seals. The New York Yankees purchased Lefty from the Seals for an estimated $39,000.
; died December 5, 1992 in Novato, California
). A Broadway
headliner who starred in Of Thee I Sing
, she gave up her career in 1936. By 1937 the marriage was on shaky ground. Apparently in an effort to rekindle their relationship, they sailed to Bermuda
in January, returning to New York aboard the Monarch of Bermuda on the twenty-seventh. It evidently didn’t help much, as Lefty traveled to Hollywood that April and June returned to Massachusetts to stay with family. Through the tabloids, she learned in December that Lefty was filing divorce papers in Mexico, charging incompatibility. Being a devout Catholic, June refused a divorce but agreed to a formal separation, citing abandonment and cruel and inhuman treatment. Publicly, Lefty said the whole idea of divorce was absurd, but after the first of the year he moved to Reno to get a six-week divorce. It was his intention for the divorce to be finalized by the time he began spring training in Florida. Separation proceedings continued for months, but were called off in May 1938. Lefty and June went on to have two daughters, Vernona and Sharon, and two sons, Gery and Duane.
every year from 1933 to 1939, Gomez led the league twice each in wins, winning percentage and ERA, and three times each in shutout
s and strikeouts. In the historic first major league All-Star Game (July 6), Gomez not only was the winning pitcher for the American League, but also drove in
the first run of the game. This was out of character for him, as he was, even by the standards of pitchers, notorious for poor hitting. "I never broke a bat until I was 73 years old," he said. "And that was from backing the car out of the garage." His career OPS+ of -7 is the fifth-worst in baseball history among players with at least 1,000 plate appearances. http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/bsl_finder.cgi#n1=&as=result_batter&offset=0&sum=1&min_year_season=1871&max_year_season=2010&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&lg_ID=lgAny&lgAL_team=tmAny&lgNL_team=tmAny&lgFL_team=tmAny&lgAA_team=tmAny&lgPL_team=tmAny&lgUA_team=tmAny&lgNA_team=tmAny&isActive=either&isHOF=either&bats=any&throws=any&exactness=anypos&games_prop=90&games_tot=&pos_pitcher=1&qualifiersSeason=nomin&minpasValS=502&mingamesValS=100&qualifiersCareer=minpas&minpasValC=1000&mingamesValC=1000&orderby=onbase_plus_slugging_plus&order_by_asc=1&layout=full&c1bsl=&c1gtlt=gt&c1val=0&c2bsl=&c2gtlt=gt&c2val=0&c3bsl=&c3gtlt=gt&c3val=0&c4bsl=&c4gtlt=gt&c4val=0&c5bsl=&c5gtlt=eq&c5val=1.0&c5bsl_b=&location=pob&locationMatch=is&pob=&pod=&pcanada=&pusa=]Gomez holds the record for the most innings pitched in a single All-Star game (six, in 1934).
1934 was considered Lefty's best season, as he won 26 games and lost just five. In both 1934 and 1937, he won pitching's "Triple Crown" by leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts; he also led the AL both seasons in shutouts. His .649 career winning percentage ranks 15th in major league history among pitchers with 200 or more decisions; and among pitchers who made their ML debut from 1900–1950, only Lefty Grove
, Christy Mathewson
and Whitey Ford
have both more victories and a higher winning percentage than Gomez.
Gomez also set a pair of World Series
records: winning six games without a loss (1932-1, 1936-2, 1937-2, 1938-1); and most walks
received by a batter in the same inning (6th, on October 6, 1937).
In one game, he came up to bat when it was slightly foggy. Bob Feller
was on the mound and Gomez struck a match before stepping into the batter's box.
"What's the big idea?" growled the umpire. "Do you think that match will help you see Feller's fast one?"
"No, I'm not concerned about that," Lefty said. "I just want to make sure he can see me!"
Another example of Gomez' quick wit came with a group of reporters. Noted for his accurate and frequent brushback pitch
es (also known as "throwing" at the hitter), one of the reporters asked Gomez- "Is it true that you'd throw at your own mother." Gomez replied- "you're damn right I would, she's a good hitter." (This has also been said of Early Wynn
.)
In 1940, Lefty suffered an arm injury, which left him up for grabs by another team, but in 1941 he played fairly well, winning 15 and losing 5. During that season, he was said to be a great starting pitcher, but won through the support of Johnny Murphy, who relieved him in later innings. After the 1942 season ended, Lefty took a job as a dispatcher with the General Electric River Works, a defense plant in Lynn, Massachusetts, which only paid $40 a week. Then on January 27, 1943, the Yankees sold Lefty to the Boston Braves for $10,000.
Lefty never appeared in a game with the Braves, as later in the year he was released from his contract and signed with the Washington Senators
. He pitched just one game before retiring from the game. In his career, almost entirely spent with the Yankees, he had a 189-102 record with 1468 strikeout
s and a 3.34 ERA
in 2503 innings pitched
. Known for his great wit, Gomez often remarked, "I'd rather be lucky than good."
), and delighted in playing practical jokes on everyone from teammates to umpires. He once stopped a World Series game to watch an airplane fly overhead. He came up with the idea of a revolving goldfish bowl
to make life easier for older goldfish.
During the 1960s, he often coached children at the Carquinez Grammar School in Crockett, California
, just east of Rodeo
. At the time, Rodeo didn't have a school but he wanted to do something for the kids. Nearing sixty, he had not lost his sense of humor and entertained the children as much with his anecdotes as his coaching and lectures on sportsmanship. On one occasion, Joe Grokett, a first grade student, decided to steal first base, which he did, zigzagging around the outfield with the base close to his chest until the other kids caught up with him. They pounded him half to death while Lefty, seated calmly on the bleachers, monitored the incident with interest. After the beating, Lefty waved Grokett over to him to lecture him on good sportsmanship. Grokett listened intently, and then remarked to the veteran ballplayer, "Shouldn't you be telling that to them?" On February 2, 1972, the Veterans Committee unanimously inducted Gomez into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Giants outfielder Ross Youngs
and former American League President Will Harridge
. The Committee noted that Lefty pitched in seven World Series games with no losses and five wins. Wearing a Yankee cap, Gomez became the second Hispanic player (of Hispanic descent) to be inducted.
The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
was dedicated to Gomez; as he was one of the last surviving players from the 1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch
.
On August 2, 1987, he and Whitey Ford
were honored with plaques to be placed in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Gomez's plaque says he was "Noted for his wit and his fastball, as he was fast with a quip and a pitch." Despite advancing age, he was able to attend the ceremony. Although he was honored with the plaque, his uniform #11 has not been retired, and has since been worn by Joe Page
, Johnny Sain
, Héctor López
, Fred Stanley
, Dwight Gooden
, Chuck Knoblauch
, Gary Sheffield
, Doug Mientkiewicz
, Morgan Ensberg
and Brett Gardner
.
Lefty spent the last years of his life in Novato, California
, and died of congestive heart failure on February 17, 1989, in Marin General Hospital in Larkspur
. A decade later, he ranked #73 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball
All-Century Team.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
between 1930 and 1942. Considered one of the great pitchers of the day, Gomez was a seven-time All-Star and a five-time World Series Champion with the Yankees. He was also known for his colorful personality and humor throughout his career and life.
Background
Gomez was born in Rodeo, CaliforniaRodeo, California
Rodeo is a census-designated place located in Contra Costa County, California on the shore of San Pablo Bay. The population was 8,679 at the 2010 census. The town is named for the livestock roundups common in the late 19th century...
. His father, Francisco Gomez, had been born in California to a Spanish father, Juan Gomez, and a Portuguese mother, Rita. His mother, Lizzie Herring, was an American of Welsh-Irish descent. He played sandlot baseball in Oakland while attending Richmond High School. It was during that timeframe that he was recruited by the San Francisco Seals. The New York Yankees purchased Lefty from the Seals for an estimated $39,000.
Marriage
On February 26, 1933 , Lefty married June O’Dea (born Eilean Frances Schwarz on December 18, 1912 in Revere, MassachusettsRevere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...
; died December 5, 1992 in Novato, California
Novato, California
Novato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
). A Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
headliner who starred in Of Thee I Sing
Of Thee I Sing
Of Thee I Sing is a musical with a score by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. The musical lampoons American politics; the story concerns John P. Wintergreen, who runs for President of the United States on the "love" platform...
, she gave up her career in 1936. By 1937 the marriage was on shaky ground. Apparently in an effort to rekindle their relationship, they sailed to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
in January, returning to New York aboard the Monarch of Bermuda on the twenty-seventh. It evidently didn’t help much, as Lefty traveled to Hollywood that April and June returned to Massachusetts to stay with family. Through the tabloids, she learned in December that Lefty was filing divorce papers in Mexico, charging incompatibility. Being a devout Catholic, June refused a divorce but agreed to a formal separation, citing abandonment and cruel and inhuman treatment. Publicly, Lefty said the whole idea of divorce was absurd, but after the first of the year he moved to Reno to get a six-week divorce. It was his intention for the divorce to be finalized by the time he began spring training in Florida. Separation proceedings continued for months, but were called off in May 1938. Lefty and June went on to have two daughters, Vernona and Sharon, and two sons, Gery and Duane.
Career
A 20-game winner four times and an All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
every year from 1933 to 1939, Gomez led the league twice each in wins, winning percentage and ERA, and three times each in shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s and strikeouts. In the historic first major league All-Star Game (July 6), Gomez not only was the winning pitcher for the American League, but also drove in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
the first run of the game. This was out of character for him, as he was, even by the standards of pitchers, notorious for poor hitting. "I never broke a bat until I was 73 years old," he said. "And that was from backing the car out of the garage." His career OPS+ of -7 is the fifth-worst in baseball history among players with at least 1,000 plate appearances. http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/bsl_finder.cgi#n1=&as=result_batter&offset=0&sum=1&min_year_season=1871&max_year_season=2010&min_season=1&max_season=-1&min_age=0&max_age=99&lg_ID=lgAny&lgAL_team=tmAny&lgNL_team=tmAny&lgFL_team=tmAny&lgAA_team=tmAny&lgPL_team=tmAny&lgUA_team=tmAny&lgNA_team=tmAny&isActive=either&isHOF=either&bats=any&throws=any&exactness=anypos&games_prop=90&games_tot=&pos_pitcher=1&qualifiersSeason=nomin&minpasValS=502&mingamesValS=100&qualifiersCareer=minpas&minpasValC=1000&mingamesValC=1000&orderby=onbase_plus_slugging_plus&order_by_asc=1&layout=full&c1bsl=&c1gtlt=gt&c1val=0&c2bsl=&c2gtlt=gt&c2val=0&c3bsl=&c3gtlt=gt&c3val=0&c4bsl=&c4gtlt=gt&c4val=0&c5bsl=&c5gtlt=eq&c5val=1.0&c5bsl_b=&location=pob&locationMatch=is&pob=&pod=&pcanada=&pusa=]Gomez holds the record for the most innings pitched in a single All-Star game (six, in 1934).
1934 was considered Lefty's best season, as he won 26 games and lost just five. In both 1934 and 1937, he won pitching's "Triple Crown" by leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts; he also led the AL both seasons in shutouts. His .649 career winning percentage ranks 15th in major league history among pitchers with 200 or more decisions; and among pitchers who made their ML debut from 1900–1950, only Lefty Grove
Lefty Grove
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was a professional baseball pitcher. After having success in the minor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star in Major League Baseball with the American League's Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, winning 300 games in his 17-year MLB career...
, Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
and Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
have both more victories and a higher winning percentage than Gomez.
Gomez also set a pair of World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
records: winning six games without a loss (1932-1, 1936-2, 1937-2, 1938-1); and most walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
received by a batter in the same inning (6th, on October 6, 1937).
In one game, he came up to bat when it was slightly foggy. Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...
was on the mound and Gomez struck a match before stepping into the batter's box.
"What's the big idea?" growled the umpire. "Do you think that match will help you see Feller's fast one?"
"No, I'm not concerned about that," Lefty said. "I just want to make sure he can see me!"
Another example of Gomez' quick wit came with a group of reporters. Noted for his accurate and frequent brushback pitch
Brushback pitch
In baseball, a brushback pitch is a pitch thrown high and inside, usually a fastball, to force the batter away from the plate, often to intimidate. It differs from the beanball in that the intent is not to hit the batter, or intentionally throw at the batter's head...
es (also known as "throwing" at the hitter), one of the reporters asked Gomez- "Is it true that you'd throw at your own mother." Gomez replied- "you're damn right I would, she's a good hitter." (This has also been said of Early Wynn
Early Wynn
Early Wynn Jr. , nicknamed "Gus", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 25-year baseball career, he pitched for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox...
.)
In 1940, Lefty suffered an arm injury, which left him up for grabs by another team, but in 1941 he played fairly well, winning 15 and losing 5. During that season, he was said to be a great starting pitcher, but won through the support of Johnny Murphy, who relieved him in later innings. After the 1942 season ended, Lefty took a job as a dispatcher with the General Electric River Works, a defense plant in Lynn, Massachusetts, which only paid $40 a week. Then on January 27, 1943, the Yankees sold Lefty to the Boston Braves for $10,000.
Lefty never appeared in a game with the Braves, as later in the year he was released from his contract and signed with the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He pitched just one game before retiring from the game. In his career, almost entirely spent with the Yankees, he had a 189-102 record with 1468 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 3.34 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 2503 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. Known for his great wit, Gomez often remarked, "I'd rather be lucky than good."
After baseball
In retirement, Gomez became a sought-after dinner speaker known for his humorous anecdotes about his playing days and the personalities he knew. He was a bit of a screwball, nicknamed "El Goofy" or "Goofy Gomez" (a likewise-alliterative counterpart to his contemporary, Dizzy DeanDizzy Dean
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
), and delighted in playing practical jokes on everyone from teammates to umpires. He once stopped a World Series game to watch an airplane fly overhead. He came up with the idea of a revolving goldfish bowl
Goldfish Bowl
Goldfish Bowl is a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein, first published 1942, and collected in one of Heinlein's anthologies, The Menace from Earth....
to make life easier for older goldfish.
During the 1960s, he often coached children at the Carquinez Grammar School in Crockett, California
Crockett, California
Crockett is a census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 3,094 at the 2010 census...
, just east of Rodeo
Rodeo, California
Rodeo is a census-designated place located in Contra Costa County, California on the shore of San Pablo Bay. The population was 8,679 at the 2010 census. The town is named for the livestock roundups common in the late 19th century...
. At the time, Rodeo didn't have a school but he wanted to do something for the kids. Nearing sixty, he had not lost his sense of humor and entertained the children as much with his anecdotes as his coaching and lectures on sportsmanship. On one occasion, Joe Grokett, a first grade student, decided to steal first base, which he did, zigzagging around the outfield with the base close to his chest until the other kids caught up with him. They pounded him half to death while Lefty, seated calmly on the bleachers, monitored the incident with interest. After the beating, Lefty waved Grokett over to him to lecture him on good sportsmanship. Grokett listened intently, and then remarked to the veteran ballplayer, "Shouldn't you be telling that to them?" On February 2, 1972, the Veterans Committee unanimously inducted Gomez into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Giants outfielder Ross Youngs
Ross Youngs
Ross Middlebrook Youngs was a Major League Baseball outfielder best known for his superb defense and consistent hitting....
and former American League President Will Harridge
Will Harridge
William Harridge was an American executive in professional baseball whose most significant role was as president of the American League from 1931 to 1958...
. The Committee noted that Lefty pitched in seven World Series games with no losses and five wins. Wearing a Yankee cap, Gomez became the second Hispanic player (of Hispanic descent) to be inducted.
The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 54th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 6, 1983, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the...
was dedicated to Gomez; as he was one of the last surviving players from the 1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the first playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 6, 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the home...
, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch
Ceremonial first pitch
The ceremonial first ball is a longstanding ritual of American baseball in which a guest of honor throws a ball to mark the end of pregame festivities and the start of the game. Originally, the guest threw a ball from his/her place in the grandstand to the pitcher or catcher of the home team...
.
On August 2, 1987, he and Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
were honored with plaques to be placed in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Gomez's plaque says he was "Noted for his wit and his fastball, as he was fast with a quip and a pitch." Despite advancing age, he was able to attend the ceremony. Although he was honored with the plaque, his uniform #11 has not been retired, and has since been worn by Joe Page
Joe Page
Joseph Francis Page , nicknamed Fireman and The Gay Reliever, was a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Page, who was left-handed, played with the New York Yankees from to and with the Pittsburgh Pirates in .-Professional career:Page was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free...
, Johnny Sain
Johnny Sain
John Franklin Sain was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was best known for teaming with left-hander Warren Spahn on the Boston Braves teams from 1946 to 1951...
, Héctor López
Héctor López
Héctor Headley López Swainson is a former left fielder and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees from to...
, Fred Stanley
Fred Stanley (baseball player)
Frederick Blair Stanley , nicknamed "Chicken", is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played from 1969-1982 for the Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, and the Oakland Athletics...
, Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, Chuck Knoblauch
Chuck Knoblauch
Edward Charles "Chuck" Knoblauch is a retired Major League Baseball player. He played all or part of twelve seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins , New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...
, Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
, Doug Mientkiewicz
Doug Mientkiewicz
Douglas Andrew Mientkiewicz is a first baseman who last appeared in the majors in with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
, Morgan Ensberg
Morgan Ensberg
Morgan Paul Ensberg is a former infielder in Major League Baseball. Ensberg bats and throws right-handed...
and Brett Gardner
Brett Gardner
Brett M. Gardner is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the New York Yankees. Gardner, who is 5' 10", bats and throws left-handed.-College baseball career:...
.
Lefty spent the last years of his life in Novato, California
Novato, California
Novato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
, and died of congestive heart failure on February 17, 1989, in Marin General Hospital in Larkspur
Larkspur, California
Larkspur is a city in Marin County, California, United States. Larkspur is located south of San Rafael, at an elevation of . As of the 2010 Census, the city's population was 11,926. Larkspur is located north of San Francisco near Mount Tamalpais. Larkspur's Police Department is shared with that...
. A decade later, he ranked #73 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
All-Century Team.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- Triple Crown
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- Major League Baseball titles leadersMajor League Baseball titles leadersAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....
- Bay Area Sports Hall of FameBay Area Sports Hall of FameThe Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame honors sports figures who have made a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is a section 501 non-profit, that was created by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1979.-Inductees:...
External links
- Official website for Lefty Gomez
- Lefty Gomez at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
Accomplishments