Lyn Lary

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Lynford Hobart (Lyn) Lary (January 28, 1906 - January 9, 1973) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball. From 1929 through 1940, he played for the New York Yankees (1929-1934[start]), Boston Red Sox (1934[end]), Washington Senators (1935[start]), St. Louis Browns (1935[end]-1936, 1939[end]-1940), Cleveland Indians (1937-1939[start]) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1939[mid]). Lary batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Armona, California.

In a 12-season career, Lary posted a .269 batting average with 38 home runs and 526 RBI in 1302 games played.

A well-traveled shortstop, Lary played for six different teams in a span of twelve years, including two stints with the St. Louis Browns and playing for three teams in 1939. A good defensive player, he had good hands with a strong arm and was competent on the double play. Basically a singles hitter, his hustle on the bases was shown by taking an extra base or for breaking up a double play. He also had a pretty good strike zone, ending his career with a 1.50 walk-to-strikeout ratio (705-to-470).

Lary debuted with the New York Yankees in 1929, finishing with a .309 average. The next season he hit .289, and .280 in 1931. That season, he collected 107 RBI, the most ever by a Yankees shortstop, and was one of six Yankees to have at least 100 runs scored. Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Ben Chapman, Earle Combs and Joe Sewell were the others. Lary also had career-numbers in home runs (10) and triples (nine).

From 1934 through 1936, Lary divided his playing time between the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, St, Louis Browns and Washington Senators. Playing for the 1936 Browns, he hit .289 with 112 runs and led the American League with 37 stolen bases and 155 games played. In 1937 with the Cleveland Indians, he batted .290 with 110 runs and posted career-highs in hits (187) and doubles (46).

In 1939, Lary started with Cleveland, was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the midseason, then returned to St. Louis for the rest of the year. He retired in 1940, after a part-time season for the Browns.

Lary died in Downey, California, at age 66.

[edit] Facts

• Lary is better known as the player sent to the Washington Senators before the 1935 season in the same trade that brought future Hall of Famer Joe Cronin to the Boston Red Sox .
• In 1931, Lary cost Lou Gehrig the American League home run title, when incorrectly thinking a ball Gehrig batted out of the park had been caught. Lary left the basepath, then was passed by Gehrig, who was declared out.

[edit] See also

• List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions

[edit] Sources

• Baseball Library
• Baseball Reference
• Wacky Moments in Sports