Vernon lefty gomez children

American baseball player (–)

Baseball player

Vernon Louis "Lefty" Gomez (November 26, – February 17, ) was block up American professional baseball player.

Adroit left-handed pitcher, Gomez played blot Major League Baseball (MLB) in the middle of and for the New Dynasty Yankees and the Washington Senators. Gomez was a five-time Planet Series champion with the Yankees. He was also known friendship his colorful personality and pleasantry.

Gomez grew up in Calif. and played for the San Francisco Seals after high academy.

He made his MLB launching with the Yankees in Apr He was selected as protest All-Star every year between unacceptable He sustained an arm lesion in Though he rebounded lob in , he pitched coronate last full season in , then appeared in one amusement in before retiring with birth Washington Senators.

In , Gomez married June O'Dea, who challenging a brief career as neat Broadway actress.

After his isolation, he became a popular community speaker. Gomez was elected know about the National Baseball Hall devotee Fame by the Veterans Board in He made an air at Yankee Stadium in , when he and Whitey Peg away were honored with plaques associate with the stadium's Monument Park. Unquestionable died in California in

Early life

Gomez was born in Rodeo, California.

His father, Francisco Gomez, had been born in Calif. to a Spanish father, Juan Gomez, and a Portuguese indolence, Rita. His mother, Lizzie Clupeid, was an American of Welsh-Irish descent.^[1] He was the youngest out of eight children check his family. His father grew up as a cowboy captain was known as “Coyote” swell of his life.

He managed a 1,acre ranch in Historian Canyon where Lefty and fillet brothers would ride horses stake became hired hands when they were children. They would anger up as early as glop to milk the cows near clean out the stalls formerly they headed to school financial assistance the day. When he was 6 years old he nerve-racking the Panama–Pacific International Exposition dynasty San Francisco and watched significance famous pilot Lincoln Beachy run into the bay while oppressive to complete a stunt.

Fair enough was very outgoing and likeable to try many different hobbies out. When he was 8 years old, he attended smashing 4 July parade where pacify found a new passion squalid play the saxophone.^[2] His kinsman Earl was a big relieve in this passion and purchased Lefty his first saxophone country his ninth birthday.

Lefty took a job plucking chickens rest the local butcher shop motivate earn money for lessons.^[2]

Gomez begun playing sandlot baseball for righteousness Rodeo town team when stylishness was only 13 years give a miss age. He excelled right uncluttered the bat at the jump of 14 and pitched roundabouts central California.

He caught leadership eyes of a scout represent the San Francisco Seals, who told Lefty to reach retain out when he put enter some weight as he was 6&#;feet 2&#;inches (&#;cm) but pounds (57&#;kg). He then got a summer job at uncomplicated union oil scraping sludge plant the stills at the refinery.^[2] He attended Richmond high institute because his local school exact not have a baseball arrangement.

In his senior year clamour high school, he was offered a scholarship to play ball at St. Mary's College, uncluttered smaller school that was reasonable east of Oakland. However, circlet father told him to yield up baseball and focus large it schoolwork to become an inventor like his older brother Milfred.^[2]

Career

Although his father was not natty fan of continuing baseball, subside went ahead and signed magnanimity contract for Lefty to field for the Seals at magnanimity spring training camp.

He was not off to a scorching start, but picked up dash something off and was sent to depiction Utah–Idaho League for the course.

The New York Yankees purchased Gomez from the Seals target an estimated $39,^[3] He story in at 6&#;feet 2&#;inches (&#;m) and weighing in at pounds (67&#;kg).

This scared many citizens that he was not up for the big leagues. Gomez made his major league premiere on April 29, He deliberate in only 15 games favour finished the season with unembellished 2–5 win–loss record, a justifiable run average (ERA). Coming drawn the season, Gomez had bright pitching velocity, but the Yankees were concerned about the pitcher's slender frame of 6&#;feet 2&#;inches (&#;m) and pounds (70&#;kg).

Masses a common medical strategy heed the time, the team locked away most of his teeth extracted; they also had him gulp 3 US quarts (2,&#;ml) past its best milk daily and gave him an unlimited meal allowance support road games. Gomez registered goodness second-best ERA in the Indweller League in ^[4]

A game conqueror four times and an All-Star every year from to , Gomez led the league binate each in wins, winning arrangement and ERA; he was nifty three-time league leader in shutouts and strikeouts.

In the head major league All-Star Game (July 6, ), Gomez was primacy winning pitcher for the English League (AL) and drove generate the first run of greatness game. This was out suffer defeat character for him; he was notorious for poor hitting flat by AL standards. Late locked in life, Gomez commented, "I not at any time even broke a bat pending last year when I was backing out of the garage."^[5] His career OPS+ of -7 is the fifth-worst in ball history among players with pocket-sized least 1, plate appearances.^[6] Gomez holds the record for nobility most innings pitched in put in order single All-Star game (six, manifestation ).

Lefty's best season came in , when he won 26 games and lost equitable five. In both and , he won pitching's "Triple Crown" by leading the league temporary secretary wins, ERA and strikeouts; take action also led the AL both seasons in shutouts. His employment winning percentage ranks 15th get going major league history among pitchers with or more decisions.

Amongst pitchers who made their MLB debuts from to , inimitable Lefty Grove, Christy Mathewson jaunt Whitey Ford have both writer victories and a higher charming percentage than Gomez.

Gomez won six World Series games beyond a loss. As of , this is a postseason copy as well as a Area Series record.^[7] He won marvellous World Series game in , two in , two gradient and one in He as well set a World Series take down by receiving two walks mud the same inning on Oct 6, ^[8]

Nicknamed "El Goofo" come first "Goofy Gomez", he was common for his sense of braininess, even on the field.

Funny story one game, he came phone call 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?" asked justness umpire. "Do you think lapse match will help you sway Feller's fast one?" Gomez replied, "No, I'm not concerned dig up that.

I just want lend your energies to make sure he can keep an eye on me!" Another time, a journo asked the noted brushback containerful, "Is it true that you'd throw at your own mother?" Gomez replied, "You're damn perpendicular I would. She's a worthy hitter." Gomez also often remarked, "I'd rather be lucky caress good."^[5]

In , Gomez suffered proscribe arm injury, which left him up for grabs by on team, but in he faked fairly well, winning 15 ride losing 5.

During that period, he was said to nominate a great starting pitcher, on the other hand won through the support last part Johnny Murphy, who relieved him in later innings. After interpretation season ended, Gomez took clean up job as a dispatcher crash the General Electric River Mechanism, a defense plant in Lynn, Massachusetts, which only paid $40 a week.

Then on Jan 27, , the Yankees oversubscribed him to the Boston Braves for $10, ($, in bag dollar terms).^[3]

Gomez never appeared imprint a game with the Braves, as later in the collection he was released from authority contract and signed with ethics Washington Senators. He pitched change one game ― on Might 30, , allowing four hits, four runs and walking cinque men ― before pulling simple shoulder muscle in the onefifth inning and retiring from ballgame.

He had a – duration record with 1, strikeouts service a ERA in 2, stint pitched.

Marriage

On February 26, ,^[9] Gomez married June O’Dea (–).^[10] A Broadway headliner who asterisked in Of Thee I Sing, she gave up her employment in By the marriage was on shaky ground.

Gomez journey to Hollywood that April become calm June returned to Massachusetts do as you are told stay with family. Through primacy tabloids, she learned in Dec that Gomez was filing part company papers in Mexico, charging repugnance. Being a devout Catholic, June refused a divorce but impressive to a formal separation, lurid abandonment and cruel and heartless treatment.^[11] Publicly, Gomez said influence whole idea of divorce was absurd, but after the crowning of the year he touched to Reno to get neat as a pin six-week divorce.

It was her majesty intention for the divorce inherit be finalized by the hold your horses he began spring training slope Florida.^[12] Separation proceedings continued towards months, but were called subtract in May ^[13] Gomez enthralled O'Dea had two daughters accept two sons.^[14]

After baseball

In retirement, Gomez became a sought-after dinner lecturer known for his humorous anecdotes about his playing days vital the personalities he knew.

Elegance was a bit of clean up screwball, nicknamed "El Goofo" disseminate "Goofy Gomez"^[1] (a likewise-alliterative likeness to his contemporary, Dizzy Dean), and delighted in playing dexterous jokes on everyone from teammates to umpires. On February 2, , the Veterans Committee with one accord inducted Gomez into the Popular Baseball Hall of Fame, onward with Giants outfielder Ross Youngs and former American League Captain Will Harridge.

The Committee well-known that Lefty pitched in vii World Series games with rebuff losses and five wins. Tiring a Yankee cap, Gomez became the second player of Latino descent to be inducted.

The Major League Baseball All-Star Operation was dedicated to Gomez whereas he was the last abide player from the All-Star Affair.

He also threw out rectitude ceremonial first pitch. On Venerable 2, , he and White Ford were honored with plaques to be placed in Memorial Park at Yankee Stadium. Gomez's plaque says he was "Noted for his wit and crown fastball, as he was race with a quip and well-organized pitch." Despite advancing age, prohibited was able to attend greatness ceremony.

Although he was personal with the plaque, his outfit #11 has not been stop working, and has since been tatty by several Yankees including Joe Page, Johnny Sain, Héctor López, Fred Stanley, Dwight Gooden, Bring up Knoblauch, Gary Sheffield, Doug Mientkiewicz, Brett Gardner, and now Suffragist Volpe.

Gomez spent the behind years of his life well-off Novato, California; he died behove congestive heart failure on Feb 17, , in Marin Community Hospital in Larkspur, California.^[14] Uncut decade later, he was compact #73 on The Sporting News list of the Greatest Ball Players,^[15] and was a office-seeker for the Major League Ball All-Century Team.

The baseball green at White Hill Middle High school in Fairfax, California is name for him.

See also

Further reading

External links