WHY LAZZERI IS A BRONX LEGEND

SECOND BASE

"How about 'Once a Yankee, always a Yankee'... There never was anything better than that. You never get over it." --Tony Lazzeri

In continuing the countdown of the top 3 Yankees in each position, we now come to the second best second baseman. It’s Tony Lazzeri. Now many may be surprised to see him at number two. He’s probably the player most fans would name as the best Yankee second baseman. However, there is someone even better for number 1. But before I get ahead of myself, let’s get to "Poosh ‘Em Up Tony".

#2- Tony Lazzeri was Italian and came from San Francisco. He played in the Pacific Coast League. Sound like another famous player? (Yeah, he’ll be on the list, but you’ll need to wait until center field.) But before Joe DiMaggio took over the Bronx, Poosh ‘Em Up Tony was the first Yankee hero for Italian-Americans and helped introduce many to the game of baseball.

Lazzeri was a fan favorite of Italians all over the country, but especially in the Bronx. His nickname, Poosh ‘Em Up Tony, is actually an improper translation of an Italian phrase meaning, to hit it out. The name followed him from his days in the Pacific Coast League. While in the PCL, Tony put up some unreal numbers. How’s this for an unbelievable season? I don’t care what league these numbers are from, these numbers are insane!

• In 1925 with the Salt Lake City Bees, Lazzeri hit .355 with 60 homers, 222 RBIs, 252 hits, 52 doubles, and scored 202 runs. (That was 192 games. Still sick though)

Now, you’d think with those statistics he’d be a lock for the Major Leagues. But unfortunately for Tony, he suffered from epilepsy. The Bees had an agreement with the Chicago Cubs, but the Cubbies thought Tony wasn’t worth the risk. As it turned out, he never suffered epileptic seizures on the playing field, so the public never knew about his condition. The Bombers thought he was worth it and bought his contract for $50,000 plus two players, Frank Zoeller and Mack
Hillis. Lazzeri was well worth it indeed.PLAYING IN THE BRONX: Tony played for what many consider the best baseball team ever, the 1927 Yankees. He batted 6th in the famous ‘27 Murder’s Row line up and is probably the third most well-known player on the team, after Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Tony also played with Joe DiMaggio. With such legendary teammates, it’s easy to understand how Tony can sometimes be forgotten in the list of Yankee greats.

He played with the Yankees from 1926-37 and played sparingly for the Cubs, Dodgers, and Giants for his last two seasons of 1938-39. While with the Yanks, he was considered one of the best second basemen of the era. His 11 RBI in one game is still the American League record.
He was the first player to hit 2 grand slams in one game. Lazzeri is one of only 14 players to ever hit for the natural cycle—hitting a single, double, triple, and homer in that order. He also won 5 World Series with the Yanks.

Lazzeri's numbers have been discussed suggesting they may not be Hall of Fame numbers, but in 1991, he was finally voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee. Over a 14-year career, Lazzeri hit .292 and averaged 111 RBIs per season. 7 of those years were truly outstanding years. However, his longevity as well, was often the debate for whether or not he should get into the Hall.

Lazzeri was known for his clutch hitting, but had 1 bad moment in the 1926 World Series when he left bases full of Yankees loaded against Grover Cleveland Alexander of the St. Louis Cardinals. Lazzeri struck out and eventually the Cards won the World Series when Babe Ruth made the third out in the 9th trying to steal second base.

FACT: That strike out was put on Grover Cleveland Alexander’s Hall of Fame plaque, making Lazzeri the only player, at that time, 1938, to have his name on a Hall of Fame plaque without actually being a Hall of Fame player.

Tony Lazzeri died in 1946 at the age of 42. Some think it was a heart attack. Others think it may
have been an epileptic seizure. Either way, it was tragic.

The New York Times’ Arthur Daley wrote in his column, "Tony was never able to live down that incident. Even in death it's the first thing that comes to mind. His slugging records and home-run achievements invariably are forgotten. No one ever bothered asking him to tell of his sixty homers in the Pacific Coast League the season before he came to the Yankees. Few inquired about his achievement of twice slashing three homers in one game or of walloping jackpot homers at crucial moments, including the World Series. No. Always was his one failure. Never was his brilliant successes."

(Photo: Corbis)
Remember Yankee fans, and all baseball fans, the players you cheer and boo are professional ballplayers, but they are also people. When you’re at the park, cheer and boo. But if you ever meet a former player, try to focus on all the times the player made you cheer. Fortunately for Poosh ‘Em Up Tony, it seems as time has passed, more people remember the cheers and call Tony Lazzeri the greatest Yankee second baseman... probably because he was.



--Moonlight Graham, BYB Staff Writer