You figure there’s no real angle with Tony Lazzeri, no one thing that stands out. Can’t call him underrated – he has a plaque in Cooperstown. Can’t say he was underappreciated – some call him one of the greatest clutch hitters of all time. Can’t say too much about Lazzeri other than this – the guy’s the greatest second baseman in Yankee history.

So here’s what you have with Lazzeri. A member of the famed “Murderers Row.” A player who drove in 100 runs seven times. A winner of five World Series rings with the Yankees, part of an absolute dynasty that some refer to as the greatest club ever.

They say Lazzeri was the “quiet man.” Quiet? His numbers screamed, bellowed from the upper deck that here resided a Hall of Fame player. And even more than the numbers, there were the specific performances. Like that day on May 24, 1936 when he became the first player to ever hit two grand slams in one game.

He would quickly forge a reputation for driving in clutch runs that he was dubbed “Poosh ‘Em Up” Tony. Take the 1928 World Series against the Cards when in Game 4, he doubled off Grover Cleveland Alexander and scored the eventual winning run in the clincher. Or in the ’32 World Series, when he finished off the Cubs with two home runs.

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig? They never hit three home runs in one game at Yankee Stadium. Lazzeri did. Maybe that’s why his manager, Miller Huggins, referred to Lazzeri as a player who comes along “once in a generation.”

STATS

7 Seasons, 100 or more RBIs