Joe Gordon

Joseph Lowell Gordon (February 18, 1915 – April 14, 1978), nicknamed "Flash" after the comic-book character Flash Gordon, was an American second baseman, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians from 1938 to 1950. As a rookie second baseman in 1938, he set a new record for home runs in a season at his position with 25. Gordon was the outstanding player at second base during the 1940s, winning the 1942 American League Most Valuable Player Award and earning selection to The Sporting News Major League All-Star Team in nine of his eleven seasons. Known for his acrobatic defense, he led the American League in assists four times and in double plays three times. He was the first AL second baseman to hit 20 home runs in a season, a feat he accomplished seven times, peaking at 32 in 1948; his single-season home run record at the position stood until 2001. His 253 career home runs ranked second all-time among players primarily at second base when he retired, a total only seven players have since surpassed. He played a major role on the 1948 champion Indians. Gordon was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.