Lefty Gomez, one of the greatest of modern left-handed pitchers, started pitching for the New York Yankees in 1931, when they acquired him from the St. Paul Club of the American Association. During the first year with the Yankees, he pitched in 40 games, winning 21 and losing only 9, for an earned run average of 2.63. Two years later he led the American League pitchers in strikeouts with 163. In 1934 he not only topped the league in strikeouts with 158, but pitched the greatest number of innings, 282, won the greatest number of games, 26, had the best percentage, .839, and had the lowest earned run-average, 2.33. In 1937 he again won the greatest number of games in the American League; was again the strikeout king and had the lowest earned run average. He also holds the major league pitching record for World Series victories, with 6 wins against no defeats. His nine-year major-league average shows 153 games won, with 81 lost and 1235 strikeouts.