Lyn Lary
Encyclopedia
Lynford Hobart Lary (January 28, 1906 - January 9, 1973) was a shortstop
in Major League Baseball
from through , primarily for the New York Yankees
. Lary batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Armona, California
.
In a 12-season career, Lary posted a .269 batting average
with 38 home run
s and 526 RBI
in 1302 games played
.
A well-traveled shortstop, Lary played for six different teams in a span of twelve years, including two stints with the St. Louis Browns and playing for three teams in 1939. A good defensive player, he had good hands with a strong arm and was competent on the double play
. Primarily a singles
hitter, his hustle on the bases was shown by taking an extra base
or for breaking up a double play. He ended his career with a 1.50 walk-to-strikeout ratio
(705-to-470).
Lary debuted with the New York Yankees in 1929, finishing with a .309 average. The next season he hit .289, and .280 in 1931. That season, he collected 107 RBI, the most ever by a Yankees shortstop, and was one of six Yankees to have at least 100 runs scored
. Lou Gehrig
, Babe Ruth
, Ben Chapman, Earle Combs
and Joe Sewell
were the others. Lary also had career-numbers in home runs (10) and triples
(nine).
From 1934 through 1936, Lary divided his playing time between the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St, Louis Browns and Washington Senators. Before the 1935 season, he was traded by the Red Sox to the Washington Senators in exchange for future Hall of Famer Joe Cronin
. Playing for the 1936 Browns, he hit .289 with 112 runs and led the American League
with 37 stolen base
s and 155 games played. In 1937 with the Cleveland Indians, he batted .290 with 110 runs and posted career-highs in hits
(187) and doubles
(46).
In 1939, Lary started with Cleveland, was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the midseason, then returned to St. Louis for the rest of the year. He retired in 1940, after a part-time season for the Browns.
Lary died in Downey, California
, at age 66.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in 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...
from through , primarily 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...
. Lary batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Armona, California
Armona, California
Armona is a census-designated place in Kings County, California, United States. Armona is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 239 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,156 at the 2010 census...
.
In a 12-season career, Lary posted a .269 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 38 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 526 RBI
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...
in 1302 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
A well-traveled shortstop, Lary played for six different teams in a span of twelve years, including two stints with the St. Louis Browns and playing for three teams in 1939. A good defensive player, he had good hands with a strong arm and was competent on the double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
. Primarily a singles
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
hitter, his hustle on the bases was shown by taking an extra base
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
or for breaking up a double play. He ended his career with a 1.50 walk-to-strikeout ratio
Walk-to-strikeout ratio
In baseball statistics, walk-to-strikeout ratio is a measure of a hitter's plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. Generally, a hitter with a good walk-to-strikeout ratio must exhibit enough patience at the plate to refrain from swinging at bad pitches and take a base on balls, but he...
(705-to-470).
Lary debuted with the New York Yankees in 1929, finishing with a .309 average. The next season he hit .289, and .280 in 1931. That season, he collected 107 RBI, the most ever by a Yankees shortstop, and was one of six Yankees to have at least 100 runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
, Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Ben Chapman, Earle Combs
Earle Combs
Earle Bryan Combs was an American professional baseball player, who played his entire career for the New York Yankees . Combs batted leadoff and played center field on the Yankees' fabled 1927 team...
and Joe Sewell
Joe Sewell
Joseph Wheeler Sewell was a Major League Baseball infielder for the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees...
were the others. Lary also had career-numbers in home runs (10) and triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(nine).
From 1934 through 1936, Lary divided his playing time between the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St, Louis Browns and Washington Senators. Before the 1935 season, he was traded by the Red Sox to the Washington Senators in exchange for future Hall of Famer Joe Cronin
Joe Cronin
Joseph Edward Cronin was a Major League Baseball shortstop and manager.During a 20-year playing career, he played from 1926–45 for three different teams, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. Cronin was a major league manager from 1933–47...
. Playing for the 1936 Browns, he hit .289 with 112 runs and led 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...
with 37 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s and 155 games played. In 1937 with the Cleveland Indians, he batted .290 with 110 runs and posted career-highs in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(187) and doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(46).
In 1939, Lary started with Cleveland, was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the midseason, then returned to St. Louis for the rest of the year. He retired in 1940, after a part-time season for the Browns.
Lary died in Downey, California
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, at age 66.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases