Tony Lazzeri

In 1927, the potent New York Yankees offense was nicknamed “Murderer’s Row.” Amid the big sluggers was a man they called “Push-‘Em-Up Tony” Lazzeri. He knocked in 102 runs that year, one of seven seasons in which he drove in 100+ runs. Lazzeri had brief stints with the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants, but most of his 14-year career came donning the Yankee pinstripes.

While Lazzeri may not have been as outspoken as his teammates like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, he certainly was an integral part of the Yankee team. He was also a hero and role model to the Italian American audience. He was the first Italian American to rise to legendary baseball status.

However, Lazzeri’s life was not without difficulty. He struggled with epilepsy throughout his life. Amazingly he never suffered a seizure while on the field. Lazzeri finished with a career batting average of .292, batted over .300 five times, appeared in seven World Series, and played in the very first All-star game. Lazzeri died in 1946 at the age of 42 from injuries due to an epileptic seizure.