Winnerofthe2022SABRBaseballResearchAwardBeforetherewasJoeDiMaggio,therewasTonyLazzeri.Adecadebeforethe“YankeeClipper“beganhislegendarycareerin1936,LazzeripavedthewayforthemanwhowouldbecomethepatronsaintofItalianAmericanfansandplayers.HedidsobyforginghisownHallofFamecareerasakeymemberoftheYankees’legendaryMurderers’Rowlineupbetween1926and1937,intheprocessbecomingthefirstmajorbaseballstarofItaliandescent.Anunwittingpioneerwhoplayedhisentirecareerwhileafflictedwithepilepsy,Lazzeriwasthefirstplayertohitsixtyhomerunsinorganizedbaseball,oneofthefirstmiddleinfieldersinthebigleaguestohitwithpower,andthefirstItalianplayerwithenoughstarpowertoattractawholenewgenerationoffanstotheballpark.Asatwenty-two-year-oldrookiefortheNewYorkYankees,LazzeriplayedalongsidesuchlegendsasBabeRuthandLouGehrig.Heimmediatelyemergedasastar,finishingsecondtoRuthinRBIsandthirdinhomerunsintheAmericanLeague.InhistwelveyearsasthesecondbasemanforYankeeteamsthatwonfiveWorldSeries,hewastheirthird-mostproductivehitter,drivinginmorerunsthanallbutfiveAmericanLeaguers,andhittingmorehomerunsthanallbutsix.Yetforallthat,todayLazzeriisalargelyforgottenfigure,hislegacydiminishedbythepassageoftimeandtarnishedbyhisbases-loadedstrikeouttoGroverClevelandAlexanderinGameSevenofthe1926WorldSeries,astrikeoutimmortalizedonAlexander’sHallofFameplaque.TonyLazzerirevealsthatquitetothecontrary,hewasoneofthesmartest,mosttalented,andmostrespectedplayersofhistime,theforgottenYankeewhohelpedtheteamwinsixAmericanLeaguepennantsandfiveWorldSeriestitles.
