Tony Lazzeri
From BR Bullpen
Anthony Michael Lazzeri (Poosh 'Em Up Tony)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11½", Weight 170 lb.
- Debut April 13, 1926
- Final Game June 7, 1939
- Born December 6, 1903 in San Francisco, CA USA
- Died August 6, 1946 in San Francisco, CA USA
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 1991
[edit] Biographical Information
Tony Lazzeri was epileptic; his untimely death in 1946 resulted from a fatal fall down the stairs, likely caused by an epileptic seizure.
Tony was named "Poosh 'Em Up" by Cesare Rinetti, a Salt Lake City, UT restaurant owner. He was Italian, like Tony. Cesare would feed him Italian food at his restaurant, and also was at the Pacific Coast League games in SLC. He would yell "Poosh 'em up" Tone... (meaning to make a home run). That's how he got his nickname. The story is documented in the Utah Historical Society Publications and also written up in the Salt Lake Tribune as factual.
Lazzeri set what were then organized baseball records with 60 home runs and 222 RBIs for the Salt Lake City Bees in 1925, not to mention a .355 batting average.
Lazzeri hit for the cycle for the New York Yankees on June 3, 1932 - a feat overshadowed by Lou Gehrig's 4 home runs in one game that day.
"(Tony) not only was a great ballplayer, he was a great man. He was a leader. He was like a manager on the field." Frankie Crosetti.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- AL All-Star (1933)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 7 (1926, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1933 & 1936)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1929 & 1930)
- Won five World Series with the New York Yankees (1927, 1928, 1932, 1936 & 1937)
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1991
