After Baseball
In retirement, Gomez became a sought-after dinner speaker known for his humorous anecdotes about his playing days and the personalities he knew. He was a bit of a screwball, nicknamed "El Goofo" or "Goofy Gomez" (a likewise-alliterative counterpart to his contemporary, Dizzy Dean), and delighted in playing practical jokes on everyone from teammates to umpires. He once stopped a World Series game to watch an airplane fly overhead. He came up with the idea of a revolving goldfish bowl to make life easier for older goldfish.
During the 1960s, he often coached children at the Carquinez Grammar School in Crockett, California, just east of Rodeo. At the time, Rodeo didn't have a school but he wanted to do something for the kids. Nearing sixty, he had not lost his sense of humor and entertained the children as much with his anecdotes as his coaching and lectures on sportsmanship. On one occasion, Joe Grokett, a first grade student, decided to steal first base, which he did, zigzagging around the outfield with the base close to his chest until the other kids caught up with him. They pounded him half to death while Lefty, seated calmly on the bleachers, monitored the incident with interest. After the beating, Lefty waved Grokett over to him to lecture him on good sportsmanship. Grokett listened intently, and then remarked to the veteran ballplayer, "Shouldn't you be telling that to them?" On February 2, 1972, the Veterans Committee unanimously inducted Gomez into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, along with Giants outfielder Ross Youngs and former American League President Will Harridge. The Committee noted that Lefty pitched in seven World Series games with no losses and five wins. Wearing a Yankee cap, Gomez became the second Hispanic player (of Hispanic descent) to be inducted.
The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was dedicated to Gomez; as he was one of the last surviving players from the 1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
On August 2, 1987, he and Whitey Ford were honored with plaques to be placed in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Gomez's plaque says he was "Noted for his wit and his fastball, as he was fast with a quip and a pitch." Despite advancing age, he was able to attend the ceremony. Although he was honored with the plaque, his uniform #11 has not been retired, and has since been worn by Joe Page, Johnny Sain, Héctor López, Fred Stanley, Dwight Gooden, Chuck Knoblauch, Gary Sheffield, Doug Mientkiewicz, Morgan Ensberg and Brett Gardner.
Lefty spent the last years of his life in Novato, California, and died of congestive heart failure on February 17, 1989, in Marin General Hospital in Larkspur. A decade later, he ranked #73 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
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