Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri weighed just 170 pounds during his prime but could hit a baseball with such surprising power that visions of Ruth and Gehrig quickly came to mind. Born in San Francisco in 1903 the gangly 5 11 Lazzeri actually dropped out of school at age 15 to work with his father as a boilermaker but just three years later started playing baseball professionally. Eventually becoming arguably the top second baseman in New York Yankees history Lazzeri quit baseball albeit temporarily in 1923 when as a 19-year-old he grew disillusioned with being shuttled back and forth between minor league posts. The following season however he secured regular play with the Salt Lake City team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and again with the same club in 1925. It was during that second campaign in Salt Lake City where he enjoyed a season for the ages batting an eye-popping .355 while setting PCL records that still stand today with 60 home runs 222 RBIs and 202 runs scored. For the record Lazzeri played in 197 games that year.

Having gained the attention of major league ball clubs Lazzeri got picked up by the vaunted Yankees and made his MLB debut in pinstripes on April 13 1926. He made an immediate impact with the Bronx Bombers and earned the starting job at second base after manager Miller Huggins moved him over from shortstop. Playing in all 155 games his rookie season Lazzeri belted 18 home runs and had 114 RBI. He finished third in the American League in home runs behind Babe Ruth and Al Simmons and tied for third in RBIs. With the hard-hitting 1927 Yankees famously known as "Murderer's Row" due to the strength of their batting lineup Lazzeri batting sixth hit .309 with 18 home runs and 102 RBI. The 1927 season also marked Lazzeris first World Series title. He would go on to win four more Fall Classics as a member of the Yankees in 1928 32 36 and 37. He finished his 14-year career with 1840 hits for a .292 batting average that included 178 round-trippers and 1194 RBI. He remains the only player to complete a natural cycle (hitting a single double triple and home run in sequence) with a grand slam.

Offered here is the massive Tony Lazzeri Memorial Trophy an impressive award named in his honor to recognize the PCLs Home Run Hitter of the Year from 1955 to 65. Presented by the now-defunct Western Airlines the oversized trophy measures 29 tall 16.5 wide at its multi-tiered wooden base and weighs an astounding 36 pounds. Sporting an eight-inch bronze bust of Lazzeri atop a 10 marble column the trophy includes a pair of golden baseballs on either side of the second level which are further flanked by a pair of golden batters swinging through on a pitch.

The two-tiered wooden base includes an oversized engraved plaque on the lower level that calls out the year name and number of home runs hit by each of the PCLs annual long ball champs including Steve Bilko from 1955 to 57; James McDaniel 58; Willie McCovey 59; R.C. Stevens 60; Eugene Oliver 61; Stanley Plays 62; Deron Johnson 63; Costen Shockley 64; and David Roberts 65. Bilko tallied the highest home run numbers per season with 55 and 56 round-trippers launched in 56 and 57 respectively. Truly a gargantuan prize for the PCLs men packing the most powerful swings during a decade of memorable baseball.

Includes Letter of Provenance from the Helms Athletic Foundation/LA84 Collection.