Member-only story
Why MLB Legend Tony Lazzeri Believed His Failure Was Only Reason He’d Be In The Baseball Hall Of Fame
An all-time sports great went to his grave believing his career was defined by failure
Second baseman Tony Lazzeri is one of the best to ever man his position in baseball history. A long-time star player for the powerful New York Yankees, he was eventually inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame, long after his death. Unfortunately, when he was alive, he was convinced the only way he’d be included in any way in the sport’s venerable museum was for a notorious failure he had as a rookie on the game’s biggest stage.
The right-handed Lazzeri enjoyed a 14-year big league career (1926–1939), spending all but his final two seasons with the Yankees. He combined to hit .292 with 334 doubles, 115 triples, 178 home runs and 1,194 RBIs. He was a key cog in the middle of the infield for seven New York teams that went to the World Series, with five squads claiming titles. Sadly, he passed away in 1946 as the result of a fall caused either by a heart attack or seizure. In 1991, 45 years after his death, he was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee.
Despite his star status, Lazzeri was convinced the only way any part of his name and career would end up in the Hall of…
