Tony Lazzeri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Lazzeri |
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: December 6, 1903 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Died: August 6, 1946 (aged 42) San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 13, 1926, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 7, 1939, for the New York Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .292 | ||
| Home runs | 178 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,191 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1991 | ||
| Election Method | Veterans Committee | ||
Tony Lazzeri (born December 6, 1903 – died August 6, 1946) was a famous American baseball player. He played as a second baseman in the 1920s and 1930s. Most of his career was with the New York Yankees in Major League Baseball.
Tony was a key part of the Yankees' amazing "Murderers' Row" team. This team, especially the 1927 team, had powerful hitters like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Tony was born and grew up in San Francisco, California. He started playing professional baseball at 18.
After playing in the minor leagues for a few years, Tony joined the Yankees in 1926. He was chosen for the very first All-Star team in 1933. Fans who spoke Italian gave him the nickname "Poosh 'Em Up." This meant "hit it out" or "hit a home run."
Tony Lazzeri is one of only 14 major league players to hit for the natural cycle. This means hitting a single, double, triple, and home run in that exact order. He is also the only player to complete a natural cycle with a grand slam. He holds an American League record for the most RBIs (runs batted in) in one game, with 11. This happened on May 24, 1936. In that same game, he was the first major league player to hit two grand slams! Tony was honored after his death by being added to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
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Tony's Early Life
Tony Lazzeri was born on December 6, 1903. His parents, Augustine and Julia, came from Italy. They lived in the Cow Hollow area of San Francisco. Tony's father worked as a boilermaker.
When Tony was 15, he left school. He started working with his father. Tony also played semi-professional baseball. He even trained to become a prizefighter.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
A friend helped Tony get a tryout with the Salt Lake City Bees in 1922. This team was part of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). Tony joined the team as an utility infielder. He played 45 games that year.
In 1923, Tony played for the Peoria Tractors to get more experience. He hit 14 home runs in 135 games. He then returned to Salt Lake City. In 1924, playing shortstop, he hit 16 home runs. Later that year, he played for the Lincoln Links. There, he hit 28 home runs in 82 games.
Tony returned to Salt Lake City in 1925. He had an amazing season! He hit 60 home runs and had 222 runs batted in (RBIs). This was the most RBIs in professional baseball history at the time. Some teams were worried about a health condition Tony had, so they didn't sign him. But a scout for the New York Yankees convinced their general manager to sign Tony.
Joining the New York Yankees
After his great 1925 season, the Yankees bought Tony from Salt Lake City. He signed a contract with the Yankees.
Tony Lazzeri started playing in the major leagues in 1926 for the Yankees. His manager, Miller Huggins, moved him from shortstop to second base. Tony played all 155 games in his first year. He hit 18 home runs and had 114 RBIs. The Yankees made it to the 1926 World Series but lost. In a very important moment, with the bases loaded, Tony struck out.
The 1927 Yankees team was known as "Murderer's Row" because of their strong hitters. Tony hit .309 with 18 home runs and 102 RBIs that year. The Yankees won 110 games and easily defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series. Experts thought Tony was the best second baseman in the American League.
In the 1928 World Series, Tony hit a key double. The Yankees won that series too. In 1929, Tony had his best batting average ever, hitting .354. He hit two home runs when the Yankees won the 1932 World Series. In 1933, Tony was chosen for the first-ever MLB All-Star Game.
Tony set an American League record on May 24, 1936, by getting 11 RBIs in one game. He also set records for hitting the most home runs in three (6) and four (7) games in a row that month. He hit a grand slam during the 1936 World Series. This was only the second grand slam in World Series history. Tony scored the winning run in the 1937 World Series, as the Yankees beat the New York Giants.
During his time with the Yankees until 1937, Tony was a consistent player. He had seven seasons with over 100 RBIs and five seasons where he batted .300 or higher. The Yankees won six American League titles and five World Series championships with Tony on the team.
Later Baseball Career
The Yankees let Tony go after the 1937 season. He then joined the Chicago Cubs in 1938 as a player-coach. The Cubs won their league championship that year. They played against the Yankees in the 1938 World Series, but the Yankees won again.
After the Cubs, Tony played briefly for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939. Then, he joined the New York Giants for a short time.
Tony then went back to playing in the minor leagues. He also managed teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Portsmouth Cubs. In 1943, he played for and managed the Wilkes-Barre Barons.
Tony's Family Life
Tony Lazzeri married Maye Janes before the 1923 baseball season. They had one son named David Anthony Lazzeri.
Tony's Passing
Tony Lazzeri passed away in 1946 at the age of 42. He had a fall at his home. The coroner said it was caused by a heart problem. Today, many believe his fall was caused by a health issue he had.
Tony's Baseball Legacy
Even though his teammates like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were huge stars, Tony Lazzeri is still seen as one of the best second basemen of his time. Some even thought he was the most valuable player on the team. He finished his career with a .292 batting average, 178 home runs, and 1,191 RBIs.
Tony holds the American League record for the most RBIs in a single game (11). He was also the first major league player to hit two grand slams in one game. He set records for hitting six home runs in three games in a row and seven in four games in a row. Tony is also the only player in major league baseball to hit a natural cycle where the last hit was a grand slam.
The Veterans Committee voted Tony Lazzeri into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
Images for kids
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Tony Lazzeri
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1933 baseball card
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball runs batted in records
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball hitters with two grand slams in one game
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- List of members of the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
