but when the Yankees got interested in me, Lefty

Born and raised in San Francisco,
Francis Joseph “Lefty” O’Doul’s
story is one of great perservence.
Having failed as a pitcher in his
early 20s (left the majors in 1923
at the age of 26), Lefty launched
the “mother of all comebacks.”
He returned to the majors as
an outfielder at the age of 31 in
1928 and was a dominant hitter
over a seven year stretch.
“Lefty O’Doul Gate”) and his
bar and grill on Geary Street
(“Lefty O’Doul’s) still operates
today.
Lefty was Joe DiMaggio’s
minor league manager with the
San Francisco Seals.
“I was an all-fields
hitter,” DiMaggio once
said, “but when the
Yankees got interested
in me, Lefty decided
we’d better try pull
hitting.”
Lefty has the 4th highest batting
average in the history of the
game at .349. All others in the
top 10 are in the Hall of Fame,
with the exception of Shoeless
Joe Jackson.
He won
two batting
titles, and hit
.398 for the
Phillies in
1929. Had
254 hits for
the Phillies
in 1929,
which is still
the National
League
record for
hits in a
season.
Lefty visiting S.F.’s Mission District
In a 1934
series of
Lefty is honored in Japan, as
games with
Japan, O’Doul Joe Dimaggio looks on
was the sole National Leaguer
on an all-star team whose roster
included future Hall of Famers
Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie
Foxx, Earl Averill, Charlie
Gehringer and Lefty Gomez.
Served as America’s Baseball
Ambassador to the Far East
both before and after World War
II. General MacArthur called
Lefty’s series of post-war
exhibitions in Japan “The
greatest feat of diplomacy ever.”
Was the first American inducted
into the Japanese Baseball Hall
of Fame in 2002.
A well-known San Francisco
character (“The Man in the
Green Suit”). He has a bridge
named after him right outside
the Giants’ AT&T ballpark in
the City (adjacent to the park’s
“A kid copies what is good. I remember the
first time I saw Lefty O’Doul, and he was as
far away as those palms. And I saw the guy
come to bat in batting practice. I was looking
through a knothole, and I said, ‘Geez,
does that guy look good!’ And it was Lefty
O’Doul, one of the greatest hitters ever.’’
-Ted Williams in The Sporting News (1994)
Lefty and the kids at Seal’s Stadium
Lefty was a very successful
manager for over two decades
with the San Francisco Seals
and other Pacific Coast League
teams.
Despite all of these
accomplishments, Lefty O’Doul
has not yet been inducted into
the National Baseball Hall of
Fame in Cooperstown, New
York. The next Veteran’s
Committee Vote is in 2007.
The United Irish Cultural Center (UICC) Presents
An Evening Honoring Lefty O’Doul
Legendary Ballplayer and Great Irish San Franciscan
Saturday, June 17, 2006,
7:00 p.m.
No-host bar at 6:00 p.m.
At the UICC
2700 45th Ave, off Sloat
San Francisco
Dinner
(Your Choice of Chicken or Beef)
$55 per person
($500 for a table of ten)
SPECIAL
INCLUDE
Special GUESTS
Guests include:
Master of Ceremonies, Brian Murphy,
Tom O’Doul (Lefty’s cousin) and family,
and many former ballplayers
(Dino Restelli, Charlie Silvera,
Eddie Bressoud, etc).
PROGRAM
INCLUDES
Program Includes:
live music by the Kevin Roche Band,
a film highlighting Lefty’s contributions to
baseball in America and Japan, and
a discussion of Lefty’s Hall of Fame
credentials.
Part of the proceeds to benefit the San Francisco
Youth Sports Travel Fund and the Irish Center
Fund for Music and Dance
Tickets are limited, and must be purchased in
advance by emailing [email protected],
or calling (415) 710-0580, or by visiting the UICC.