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Show WW ONE of the leading features of the Yankee comeback, for those who know his sprightly or spritely nature, is the return journey of one Vernon Lefty Gomez, sometimes known as the Great Goof. Vernon Lefty came to the Yankees from San Francisco 11 years ago r: sasss -. -- titled at the tender age 01 20. For the greater part of 10 years the thin left - hander played one of the main roles in the big Yankee act For just one matter of detail, he contributed contribut-ed six world series victories without taking a rap. But when spring Grantland Kice came Florida this year and the Yankee camp began warming up, there was more than passing doubt that Lefty would be hanging around much longer. In the losing campaign cam-paign of 1940 the depressed lefthander left-hander had turned in only three winning win-ning games against three defeats. Most of his mates, including Joe McCarthy, felt bad about this situation situa-tion since Gomez is not only extremely ex-tremely popular all around, but also one of the gayer notes in a serious Yankee community. The one fellow who refused to back away from a rough fate, who refused also to surrender sur-render his mirth, was Lefty himself. Turning Back "I came here in shape," Lefty said the first day he landed in camp. "I'm going to get in still better shape and I'm going to stick. After all I'm only 30 years old. I won't be 31 nntil November. If Lefty Grove can keep on winning at 41, why should I be all through when I'm 10 years younger than he is?" All present cheered Lefty on and backed up his sentiments. "I had a bad arm and a bad side last season, but I'm O. K. now. I'd like to lay one bet, anyway. I'll bet nobody on this club works harder." At this spot the Great Goof is still more than holding his own. Now and then he hears the "call of the wild," but not too often. He still has his share of stuff packed away in his portside portfolio and hopes to win his seventh world series start this coming fall. Lefty the Sage The Gomez sense of humor rarely departs, even under dark clouds. I asked him what happened when he seemed to be holding up a game in 8 debate with the umpire. "It was this way,' Gomez said. "The bases were full and there was LEFTY GOMEZ nobody out. Also, there was a tough hitter at bat So I just held the ball." " 'Go ahead and pitch,' the umpire um-pire said. 4 'That would be a foolish thing to do,' I answered. " 'As long as I hold this ball they can't hurt me. But who knows what will happen if I let it go. " "What happened when you finally final-ly threw the ball," I asked. "I was right In the first place," Lefty said. Gomez should stick around several sever-al more years, since he knows how to pitch. Form lasts a long time. Here's an example. Back around 1898 Findlay Douglas won the amateur golf championship of the United States. Forty-three years later this last winter he helped Byron Nelson get a draw in one of the main Florida shows. The veteran Mr. ' Douglas still shows, with much pride, a letter received re-ceived from Nelson to this effect "A good swing never gives out. The years can't touch ft." Plenty of Heart The willowy Goof, who is far from being goofy, always had his full share of heart You need the Big Tick when you start out to win six world series games without a defeat de-feat When the Yankees were at their old peak a few years back when they were mopping up by 12 or 15 games each season Bucky Harris of the Senators paid Lefty this tribute: trib-ute: "I'd rate the Yankees as the greatest ball club of aU time erpe cially when Gomez ;'s pitching |