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 Lefty O’Doul Photo Gallery
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We’re Contacted by Relative of Lefty O’Doul!

As I’ve mentioned many times, one of the many “perks” of my job on Baseball History Comes Alive as your friendly baseball historian is that I’m often contacted by relatives or acquaintances of former ballplayers. It doesn’t matter to me if the player was a star or a sub. Anyone who makes it to the Big Show is special in my eyes and I’m always glad when a family member or acquaintance contacts me.

Of course, I’m always happy to shine our baseball spotlight on the player for a moment or two. In this case, when the player was one of the greatest hitters of all time, that makes it even more exciting!

My Recent Post About Lefty O’Doul Attracts Family Attention!

With our wide readership within baseball history circles, we never know who might actually end up visiting our Baseball History Comes Alive website and reading our posts. Some of you will recall my recent essay about Francis “Lefty” O’Doul. It was titled: “The Most Lopsided Trades in Baseball History: Lefty O’Doul for Freddie Leach.”

In the essay, I talked about Lefty’s fine career after he converted from a sore-armed pitcher to become one of the greatest hitters in baseball history with a .349 career average. (A couple readers took me to task and pointed out that Freddie Leach was actually a much better ballplayer than I realized).

Sure enough, after reading the post – which he apparently thought highlighted Lefty’s career well – someone left a comment asking the question:

“OK, tell me why Francis Joseph ‘Lefty’ O’Doul is not in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown!”

It was signed: “Tom O’Doul.”

Of course, my baseball history antenna and alarm bells immediately went off. I’d be remiss in my “job” as your friendly baseball historian if they didn’t. I responded to Tom O’Doul asking if he was related to Lefty O’Doul. He soon answered:

Hello Gary-
Yes I’m related to “Lefty” O’Doul. He was my second cousin even though most people think he was my uncle. He was “like” an uncle to me. I remember him well and visited him often since I lived nearby. I never saw him play, but have fond memories of Seals Stadium. Dennis Snelling’s book is the best story on O’Doul. I’d be happy to keep in touch. Thank you.

In follow-up emails, I asked Tom how exactly he was related to Lefty. Here’s how he traced out the relationship:  

As you know Francis Joseph “Lefty” O’Doul was my second cousin. His father and my grandfather were brothers. He was more like an uncle to me as he was the same age as my dad’s brother (my uncle), and was like a big brother to my dad. We lived close to “Lefty” in Marin (about twenty miles from San Francisco). He would visit from time to time and would always see that my dad and I could attend Seals’ games in San Francisco. I have many great memories of sitting in the dugout and meeting PCL players.

What a great experience for a young baseball fan growing up in the 1950s! Tom has one particularly fond memory of Lefty going back to his Little League days. It’s no secret of course that Lefty and Joe DiMaggio were close friends. That friendship proved to be of great value to young Tom O’Doul:

However, one memory I will never forget was on an Opening Day when I was playing Little League Baseball in the ’50’s. My dad had asked Cousin Frank if he could make an appearance at our opener in San Rafael. “Lefty” showed up with a surprise guest. Yup, it was Joe DiMaggio! Something us kids would remember forever! I was so proud that it was my cousin who showed up with the “Yankee Clipper!”

Now that’s exciting! Those of us who grew up playing Little League baseball in the 1950s can only imagine the thrill of having Lefty O’Doul and Joe DiMaggio show up at your Opening Day festivities! I’m sure Tom became an instant hero to his Little League teammates!

A Few Words About Lefty’s Fine Career:

Over parts of 11 seasons in the major leagues (1919-1934), O’Doul played for the Yankees, Red Sox, Giants, Phillies, and Dodgers. He hit .349 with 113 home runs, 542 RBIs, .465 on-base percentage, and .542 slugging average. His .349 career average is currently fourth all-time, behind only Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Shoeless Joe Jackson. [Ed note: Recent Negro League additions of Oscar Charleston and Judd Wilson are also ahead of him]. He has the highest batting average of any player not in the Hall of Fame. He was an All-Star (1933), and a member of the World Series champion Giants (1933). He struck out only 122 times in 3658 plate appearances, an average of one every 27 at-bats.

Thanks Tom!

Thanks again to Tom O’Doul for sharing with us a few words about his famous baseball relation. It’s contacts like this from relatives of former ballplayers who visit our Baseball History Comes Alive website – and are happy to share a personal story or two – that make my “job” as your friendly baseball historian so interesting and so much fun!

Gary Livacari 

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