I've got a new invention. It's a revolving bowl for tired goldfish.
Vernon Louis Gomez was born November 26, 1908 in Rodeo, California. As a young Latino in California, he was often barred from playing semipro ball around where he lived. Finally, he drew the attention of a scout and was picked up by the Pacific Coast League in 1927. After a successful two seasons with the San Francisco Seals, Lefty was picked up by the New York Yankees for the 1930 season.
Lefty - who stood at 6'2" but weighed only 173 pounds - threw a deceptively fast heater and a nasty curveball that buckled righties and lefties alike. His high leg kick gave him an extra push to the plate, and he was always willing to go the distance, finishing with 172 complete games in his career. Despite all of his pitching talents, though, Lefty was best known for his comedic prowess both on and off the diamond. He would often razz opponents and teammates alike, and he was affectionately nicknamed "El Goofo" by his one-time roommate, Joe DiMaggio.
The secret to my success is a clean living and a fast outfield.
Beginning on May 5, Lefty won his first start in pinstripes, and he never relinquished his role as a winning pitcher. His career record for the Bronx Bombers was 189-101, third most all-time on the club (behind Whitey Ford and his longtime teammate Red Ruffing.) He also went 6-0 in World Series games as part of 5 championship teams, the only pitcher ever to win as many as 5 games in the Fall Classic without suffering a loss.
Lefty dominated the American League throughout his career, and was named to seven consecutive All-Star Games beginning with the inaugural one in 1933, where he recorded the first run batted in. But his 1934 season was his finest in baseball, and one of the best ever put to record. His 26 wins, 158 strikeouts, and 2.33 ERA led the league, the pitcher's equivalent of the Triple Crown.
I'm throwing as hard as I ever did. The ball's just not getting there as fast.
Over the next two years, however, Lefty suffered a breakdown in his arm. Injuries and problems limited his fastball, causing him to readjust his throwing motion and develop a slurve, or slow curve. In 1937, he once again won the pitcher's Triple Crown, going 21-11 and helping propel the Yankees into the World Series once again. In Game 1, he outdueled his longtime nemesis Carl Hubbell to win 8-1, and in Game 4, he not only threw a complete game 6-hitter, but knocked in the winning run himself to clench the sweep for the Yanks.
Despite Lefty's heroics at the plate in the Series and All-Star Game, he was self-described as the worst-hitting pitcher in baseball, and frequently lived up to his reputation. A lifetime .147 hitter in 904 at bats, in 1933 he made a bet with Babe Ruth that he would get 10 hits in a season. On Opening Day, he cranked out 4 hits, and smugly told Ruth he was almost halfway there. When the season finished, he had only 9 hits - and paid the Sultan of Swat $100 for his trouble!
After a dismal season in 1940, where he seemed unable to get any batters out at all, he recovered for a respectable 15-5 season in 1941. Another subpar season followed, however, and the Yankees sold Lefty to the Boston Braves, who in turn sold him to the Washington Senators. Lefty pitched one game for the Nats, took himself out after the first inning, and promptly retired.
"El Goofo" went on to join the U.S. Navy in 1944, and then spent the later part of his life working as a spokesperson for Wilson Sporting Goods. Lefty was elected into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1972. He passed away February 17, 1989 in Greenbrae, California. In his honor, Wilson Sports began the Lefty Gomez Award, given each year by the American Baseball Coaches Association to the coach who has contributed significantly to the furthering of amateur baseball in America.
Career Statistics
YEAR TEAM W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
1930 NYY AL 2 5 15 6 2 0 1 60.0 66 41 37 12 28 22 5.55
1931 NYY AL 21 9 40 26 17 1 3 243.0 206 88 72 7 85 150 2.67
1932 NYY AL 24 7 37 31 21 1 1 265.3 266 140 124 23 105 176 4.21
1933 NYY AL 16 10 35 30 14 4 2 234.7 218 108 83 16 106 163 3.18
1934 NYY AL 26 5 38 33 25 6 1 281.7 223 86 73 12 96 158 2.33
1935 NYY AL 12 15 34 30 15 2 1 246.0 223 104 87 18 86 138 3.18
1936 NYY AL 13 7 31 30 10 0 0 188.7 184 104 92 6 122 105 4.39
1937 NYY AL 21 11 34 34 25 6 0 278.3 233 88 72 10 93 194 2.33
1938 NYY AL 18 12 32 32 20 4 0 239.0 239 110 89 7 99 129 3.35
1939 NYY AL 12 8 26 26 14 2 0 198.0 173 80 75 11 84 102 3.41
1940 NYY AL 3 3 9 5 0 0 0 27.3 37 20 20 2 18 14 6.59
1941 NYY AL 15 5 23 23 8 2 0 156.3 151 76 65 10 103 76 3.74
1942 NYY AL 6 4 13 13 2 0 0 80.0 67 42 38 4 65 41 4.28
1943 WSH AL 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 4.7 4 4 3 0 5 0 5.79
CAREER 189 102 368 320 173 28 9 2503.0 2290 1091 930 138 1095 1468 3.34
* Bold denotes led league.
Hall of Fame Index
Warren Giles | Goose Goslin