Lefty Gomez
Lefty Gomez, born Vernon Louis Gomez on November 26, 1908, in Rodeo, California, was a notable American baseball pitcher known for his lively personality and strong pitching skills. He began his professional career in 1928 and joined the New York Yankees in 1930, where he played alongside legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Despite a rocky start, Gomez dedicated himself to improving his game, ultimately achieving remarkable success in the major leagues. He won six World Series games, setting a record, and had a standout season in 1934, capturing the American League's triple crown for pitchers. Known for his eccentricity and humor, he often entertained teammates and fans alike with his antics both on and off the field. After retiring from playing, Gomez continued to engage with baseball as a manager and a popular speaker. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 and passed away on February 17, 1989. While he may not be considered among the greatest pitchers, his charm and approachability made him a beloved figure in the sport.
Lefty Gomez
Baseball Player
- Born: November 26, 1908
- Birthplace: Rodeo, California
- Died: February 17, 1989
- Place of death: Greenbrae, California
Sport: Baseball
Early Life
Vernon Louis Gomez was born on November 26, 1908, in Rodeo, California, where his family owned a cattle ranch. His ethnic heritage was Spanish, from his father, Manuel, and Irish, from his mother, Mary. Although his father spoke fluent Spanish, Vernon never learned the language. Vernon attended high school in nearby Richmond, California, and was a star pitcher for the Richmond baseball team. During his high school playing days, Vernon was given the nickname “Lefty.” He was a tremendously strong pitcher, which surprised many who saw him for the first time. At 6 feet 2 inches, he weighed only 146 pounds and did not look like he would be able to throw with much power.
The Road to Excellence
In 1928, when Lefty was nineteen, he signed with Salt Lake of the Utah-Idaho League, his first professional team. He lost more games than he won that year, but he showed enough potential to be moved to San Francisco in the Pacific Coast League the following year. In 1930, Lefty entered the major leagues, pitching for the New York Yankees. His teammates included Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Lefty was popular with the other players because he was lively and humorous, but it soon became clear that he was not ready to pitch in the major leagues. When he had won two games and lost five, he was sent back to the minor leagues. This time he played for St. Paul of the American Association.
Lefty did not give up in the face of this discouraging setback. He simply worked harder to improve his skills. He knew he needed to play better if he wanted to be a major-league player. He improved his fielding, control, and pickoff moves and changed the way he threw his pitches. Before, he had thrown with an especially high kick, which gave runners more time to steal bases; he learned to release the ball more quickly without the kick. He also learned a new pitch, a slow curveball. By the end of the 1930 season, he was ready to try the big leagues again and returned to the Yankees.
The Emerging Champion
His first full season in the majors, Lefty won twenty-one games and lost only nine. He had an earned run average (ERA) of 2.63 and struck out 150 batters. The next year, he won twenty-four games and lost seven, and won his first World Series game. Clearly, he had become big-league material. Lefty also became well known for his eccentricity and sense of humor. He loved to tell jokes with reporters and play tricks on his teammates—even during games. His wit earned him a few new nicknames from the reporters, such as “Goofy” and “El Gomez.”
After the 1932 season, Lefty performed in vaudeville as a comic at Madison Square Garden in New York City. His contract was for twelve weeks, but it was canceled after only three weeks. Apparently his humor worked better on the field than on stage.
Lefty’s finest season was 1934, when he won twenty-six games and lost five. He led the American League in winning percentage, strikeouts, ERA, and complete games and earned the triple crown. In 1936, Lefty won two more World Series games. Before his retirement, he would win six World Series games without losing any—a major-league record at the time. During the 1936 series, Lefty held up the entire game at one point to watch an airplane pass overhead—another sign of his eccentricity. The crowd loved it, and fans talked about the moment for decades.
Continuing the Story
As the 1937 triple crown winner, Lefty led the league again in wins, ERA, and strikeouts, but recurring arm troubles began to get worse. He was still an asset to the Yankees, and his intelligence made up for failing skills. In 1942, Lefty’s arm was so bad that he could pitch only 80 innings all season. The next year, he was sold to the Boston Braves, but he never pitched a game for the team. Finally, Lefty was signed by the Washington Senators, but, after pitching one game and losing, Lefty knew his time as a player was over. Lefty retired as a champion. In twelve seasons, he won 189 games and lost 102. He had played on pennant-winning teams seven times and several times led the league in wins, winning percentage, ERA, shutouts, and strikeouts.
In 1946, Lefty returned to the Yankees—with whom he had maintained friendly relations—as the manager of the Binghamton farm team. He managed two seasons. Lefty’s next career was as a comic and popular banquet speaker. Much of his material poked fun at his own career. Then, for more than thirty years, Lefty displayed his cleverness as a spokesperson and goodwill ambassador for the Wilson Sporting Goods Company. He made his home in Fairfax, in his native California. In 1972, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. On February 17, 1989, he died of congestive heart failure.
Summary
Although a good pitcher, Lefty Gomez cannot be called one of the greatest. He was, however, one of the most beloved players of his generation. With his friendliness and humor, he showed that baseball, while it is a serious business, can also be fun.
Bibliography
Frommer, Harvey. Yankee Century and Beyond: A Celebration of the First Hundred Plus Years of Baseball’s Greatest Team. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks, 2007.
Hammond, Jeffrey. A Fan Letter to Lefty Gomez. Chicago: Sport Literate, 2001.
Hickey, David, and Kerry Keene. The Proudest Yankees of All: From the Bronx to Cooperstown. Lanham, Md.: Taylor Trade, 2003.
James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York: Free Press, 2003.
Roberts, Russell. One Hundred Baseball Legends Who Shaped Sports History. San Mateo, Calif.: Bluewood Books, 2003.