Lefty Gomez

Vernon Louis Gómez
(Goofy)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 173 lb.
• High School Richmond (CA) High School
• Debut April 29, 1930
• Final Game May 30, 1943
• Born November 26, 1908 in Rodeo, CA USA
• Died February 17, 1989 in Greenbrae, CA USA

Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1972

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Lefty Gomez of the New York Yankees was a hero of several early All-Star Games. He made five All-Star starts, earning three wins, including the inaugural Midsummer Classic of 1933. In that first contest, he also drove in the game's first run.

Gomez became just as famous after his playing days as a sought-after after-dinner speaker who was good with baseball witticisms.

"I talked to the ball a lot of times in my career. I yelled, "Go foul. Go foul." - Lefty Gomez

"The secret of my success was clean living and a fast outfield." - Lefty Gomez

"Roomie, you keep playing Greenberg shallow and you're going to make them forget Lefty Gomez." - Lefty Gomez after giving up a triple to center, thinking of Joe DiMaggio's statement that he was going to make people forget Tris Speaker.

After he retired, Goofy was filling out a "reason for leaving last employment" sheet. He wrote "Couldn't get anybody out".

His first baseball card appearance was in the 1932 U.S. Caramel set

Notable Achievements

• 7-time AL All-Star (1933-1939)
• 2-time AL Pitcher's Triple Crown (1934 & 1937)
• 2-time ERA Leader (1934 & 1937)
• 2-time AL Wins Leader (1934 & 1937)
• 2-time AL Winning Percentage Leader (1934-1941)
• AL Innings Pitched Leader (1934)
• 3-time AL Strikeouts (1934)
• 3-time AL Shutouts Leader (1934, 1937 & 1938)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 7 (1931-1934, 1937, 1938 & 1941)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 4 (1931, 1932, 1934 & 1937)
• 25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1934)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 7 (1931-1935, 1937 & 1938)
• Won six World Series with the New York Yankees (1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939 & 1941; he did not play in the 1941 World Series)
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1972

Further Reading

• Vernona Gomez and Lawrence Goldstone: Lefty, An American Odyssey, Ballantine Books, New York, NY, 2012. ISBN 978-0-345-52648-9

Related Sites

• Lefty Gomez at the SABR Bio Project
• Story on Gomez's death in 1989