Anthony Michael Lazzeri (December 6, 1903 – August 6, 1946) was an American professional baseball second baseman during the 1920s and 1930s, predominantly with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was part of the famed "Murderers' Row" Yankee batting lineup of the late 1920s (including the 1927 team), along with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Bob Meusel.

Lazzeri was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He dropped out of school to work with his father as a boilermaker, but at the age of 18, began to play baseball professionally. After playing in minor league baseball from 1922 through 1925, Lazzeri joined the Yankees in 1926. He was a member of the original American League All-Star team in 1933. He was nicknamed "Poosh 'Em Up" by Italian-speaking fans, from a mistranslation of an Italian phrase meaning to "hit it out" (hit a home run).

Lazzeri is one of only 14 major league baseball players to hit for the natural cycle (hitting a single, double, triple and home run in sequence) and the only player to complete a natural cycle with a grand slam. He also holds the American League record for the most RBI in a single game, with 11 on May 24, 1936. In that same 1936 game, he became the first major league player to hit two grand slams in one game. Lazzeri was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1991.

Early life

Lazzeri was born on December 6, 1903, to Augustine and Julia Lazzeri, who had emigrated from Italy. They lived in the Cow Hollow district of San Francisco. Augustine worked as a boilermaker. Though Salt Lake City had a working agreement with the Chicago Cubs, the Cubs passed on Lazzeri due to his epilepsy. The Cincinnati Reds passed on Lazzeri as well. Bill Essick, a scout for the New York Yankees, convinced Ed Barrow, the Yankees' general manager, to sign Lazzeri. Barrow agreed after receiving confirmatory reports from other scouts, including Ed Holly and Paul Krichell, as well as ensuring that Lazzeri's insurance policy would cover his illness.

New York Yankees

After the 1925 season, Barrow purchased Lazzeri from Salt Lake City in exchange for the rights to Frank Zoeller and Mack Hillis and $50,000 ($ in current dollar terms). Lazzeri signed a contract with the Yankees worth $5,000 ($ in current dollar terms).

With the 1927 Yankees, known as "Murderer's Row" due to the strength of their batting lineup, Lazzeri batted .309 with 18 home runs and 102 RBIs. He finished third in the AL in home runs, behind only teammates Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The Yankees finished the season with a 110–44 win–loss record, and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series. He incurred a muscle injury that threatened to end his season. Nevertheless, Lazzeri returned to the team, and hit a key double off of Alexander in the 1928 World Series, which the Yankees won.

Lazzeri had his career-high batting average of .354 in 1929. He hit two home runs for the Yankees in their 1932 World Series victory. In 1933, Lazzeri was named to appear in the first MLB All-Star Game, representing the AL against the National League (NL).

Lazzeri set an AL single-game record on May 24, 1936, when he recorded eleven RBIs. That month, he also set records for most home runs in three consecutive games (6) and four consecutive games (7). Lazzeri scored the deciding run in the 1937 World Series, as the Yankees defeated the New York Giants.

As a member of the Yankees through 1937, he averaged 79 runs, 14 home runs, 96 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, including seven seasons with over 100 RBI and five seasons batting .300 or higher (including a high of .354 in 1929). During this period, the Yankees won six American League pennants (1926, 1927, 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1937) and five World Series championships (1927, 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1937).

Later career

The Yankees released Lazzeri following the 1937 season. He signed with the Cubs as a player-coach for the 1938 season. Though he received little playing time, the Cubs won the NL championship and appeared in the 1938 World Series against the Yankees, which the Yankees won. However, the Dodgers released him on May 13, after he batted .282 in 14 games. The next day, Lazzeri signed with the New York Giants, to replace George Myatt and Lou Chiozza at third base.

Lazzeri then returned to minor league baseball, where he managed the Class-AA Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League for the remainder of the 1939 season and entire 1940 season.

He played for the San Francisco Seals of the PCL in 1941, and was released after the season.

He played for and managed the Portsmouth Cubs of the Piedmont League in 1942. posting a .271 batting average in 58 games.

Personal life

Before the 1923 season, Lazzeri married Maye Janes. The couple had one child, David Anthony Lazzeri (1931–2013). in his Millbrae, California home. However, today, many believe Lazzeri's fall was caused by an epileptic seizure rather than a heart attack.

Legacy

Although his offensive production was overshadowed by the historic accomplishments of teammates such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio, Lazzeri is still considered one of the top hitting second basemen of his era. Koenig considered Lazzeri the team's most valuable player. He finished his career with a .292 batting average, 986 runs, 178 home runs, 1,191 RBI and 148 stolen bases. Despite his hitting 60 home runs in an extended PCL season in 1925, Lazzeri never hit more than 18 home runs in a major league season (a mark he reached four times).

Lazzeri holds the American League record for most RBIs in a game with 11, set May 24, 1936, as he also became the first major league player to hit two grand slams in one game. He holds the major league record of 15 RBIs in consecutive games (one more than Rudy York in 1946 and Sammy Sosa in 2002). He also set major league records of six home runs in three consecutive games, and seven in four consecutive games. Lazzeri continues to share the consecutive-game American League record, but the three-game record was topped by Shawn Green of the Dodgers (seven in 2002) and the four-game mark was broken by Ralph Kiner of the Pittsburgh Pirates (eight in 1947). Lazzeri is also the only player in major league baseball to hit a natural cycle with the final home run being a grand slam on June 3, 1932.

The Veterans Committee elected Lazzeri to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.

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

References

Further reading

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