Tony Lazzeri

SCP Auctions proudly brought "The Tony Lazzeri Collection" to auction November 20th, 2003.

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Tony Lazzeri was among the most prominent members of the 1927 Yankees’ "Murderers’ Row" lineup and the second baseman on five World Championship Yankee clubs. Though he played in the prodigious shadows of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, the power-hitting second sacker, earned great respect from peers and fans for his leadership skills on and off the field. Lazzeri was the first Yankee star to come out of San Francisco, paving the way for Joe DiMaggio who would emerge a decade later. Like DiMaggio, Lazzeri began his professional career in the Pacific Coast League. Playing for Salt Lake City (PCL) in 1925, he set since-broken pro baseball records for HR (60) and RBI (222) and a still-standing record for runs (202). On August 1st of that same year, the Yankees purchased purchased Tony Lazzeri from the Pacific Coast League for spring delivery. In 1926 he played in 155 games for New York, quickly earning a reputation for clutch hitting. The nickname "Poosh 'Em Up" soon prevailed. It was a nickname he more than lived up to throughout his 12 seasons in Yankee pinstripes. Lazzeri had seven 100-RBI seasons and four times hit as many as 18 home runs. From 1927 through 1930, and again in 1932, Lazzeri batted .300 or better; his .354 in 1929 put him among the league leaders. On May 24, 1936 he became the first major leaguer to hit two grand slams in one game and set an AL record with 11 RBI. His excellent glove, driving leadership, and superior baseball instincts made him the first great baseball hero among Italian-Americans. Known as "the quiet man of the Yankees", Lazzeri’s steady, workmanlike performance was a manager’s dream. Miller Huggins, a first-rate second baseman himself before he became manager of the Yankees, once described Lazzeri as "A ballplayer that comes along once in a generation." Tony Lazzeri passed away prematurely at the age of 43 in 1946. In 1991 he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.