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1932-41 Lefty Gomez Yankees World Champions Presentational Pocket Watch
Usually you get one of these for retiring, but Lefty Gomez got his gold watch for retiring others, namely guys who stood in the batter's box. One of the spoils of being a fixture on the Yankees' dynasty of the '30s and '40s, the glittering solid gold pocket watch -- one of the best and rarest baseball awards we've ever handled -- was made and engraved specifically for Gomez and presented to him by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis after the '41 season, when the brilliant southpaw bounced back from arm injuries the year before to post a 15-5 record for the world champs. Lefty was one of several team members honored for being on the 6 Yankee championship teams since 1932, as noted on the face of the timepiece with the inscription "New York Yankees, '32-36-37-38-39, 1941" in curving letters above the second hand clock. The corona of the gorgeous 1 3/4" in diameter watch reads "World Champs" in gold raised letters just under the silver minute intervals. Reverse is engraved "Presented by Baseball Commissioner to Vernon Gomez," which can make one's spine tingle, and likely had that effect on Lefty and teammates like Joe DiMaggio, who always cracked up at his lines like "I'm throwing as hard as I ever did, the ball's just not getting there as fast." Little wonder that when his arm gave out in '43, he was employed as a goodwill ambassador for Wilson Sporting Goods, and kept people in stitches with his baseball stories until he died in 1989. He was elected to the HOF in 1972. The watch, which came originally from a Gomez family member, is in EX-MT condition with no more than incidental scratches on both the glass and gold surfaces, the latter of which has not a trace of tarnish or rust. Not only a baseball treasure, but one that commemorates a human baseball treasure.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
Other past auction items that may be of interest to you.
1977 Thurman Munson Testimonial Collection
2001 Paul O'Neill Last Yankee Stadium Game Used Baseball
1978 World Series Black Bat Set of 2
1930's-60's New York Yankees & Others Signed Baseballs (13) & World Series Programs (5)
1996 New York Yankees Team Signed Baseball
1964 New York Yankees Yoo-Hoo Cardboard Advertising Sign (11x14”)
Circa 1968 Joe DiMaggio & Mickey Mantle Signed Photograph (8x10")
