A book signing and discussion of Joe “Flash” Gordon’s baseball career takes place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, New Jersey.
As a rookie in 1938, Gordon became the American League’s first power-hitting second baseman and redefined how the position was played. He was the first American League second baseman to hit 20 or more home runs in a single season.
15-Year Family Project to Preserve Legacy
The 288-page book, published in February by McFarland & Company Publishers, was written by Gordon’s daughter, Judy, and his grandson, Erik Simpson. The mother-son writing team said that the writing of Gordon’s biography was a long-term family endeavor that took more than 15 years.
Using news clippings from 13 scrapbooks Judy inherited after her dad’s death, she and Erik were meticulous in unearthing new facts, conducting extensive research, storytelling, and writing quality to ensure Gordon’s historical legacy was preserved, according to East Idaho News on Feb. 22.
They were meticulous in fact-finding, research, storytelling, and writing quality to ensure Gordon’s historical legacy was preserved, according to East Idaho News on Feb. 22.
Book Signing Event
Simpson will be joined by sportswriter Claire Smith, winner of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, and Larry Berra, the eldest son of Yogi and Carmen Berra.
After a discussion led by Simpson about Gordon’s 11-season baseball career — eight years with the New York Yankees (1938–1946) and three with the Cleveland Indians (1947–1950) — he will hold a book signing.
Copies of “Joe ‘Flash’ Gordon: A Biography of the Hall of Fame Second Baseman” are available for purchase in advance at the Yogi Museum for $45. Admission to the Museum and discussion are included with the purchase. Buy tickets here.
About Joe ‘Flash’ Gordon
A five-time World Series champion, he won four with the Yankees (1938, 1939, 1941, 1943) and one with Cleveland in 1948. Gordon won the 1942 American League MVP award, beating the odds by besting Boston’s Triple Crown winner Ted Williams. He also got the nod to play in nine All-Star games between New York and Cleveland.
An interesting aside, Gordon’s last year on the Yankees overlapped with Yogi Berra’s rookie year. In Gordon’s 11-year professional baseball career, he missed the 1944 and 1945 seasons to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He played his final game for the Cleveland Indians on Sept. 30, 1950, at the age of 35. When he retired, his 253 home runs were the second-most all-time for a primary second baseman.
After retiring as a player, he went on to manage four major league teams: the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, and Kansas City Royals.
His final role in professional baseball was as a scout for the Royals, a position he held until his retirement in 1971. Gordon died on April 14, 1978, at age 63, and was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, 2009.
About the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center
The Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center is a non-profit sports education center and tribute to the life and career of American baseball icon Yogi Berra. The premises are ADA-accessible, and programming includes camps, educational programs, events, exhibits, group admissions, guided tours, merchandise, and rentals.
Hours of operation:
⚾Wednesday – Sunday: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
⚾Monday – Tuesday: Closed
The mission of the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center is to sustain and promote the values of respect, perseverance, sportsmanship, and excellence through inclusive, culturally diverse sports-based educational exhibits and programs, according to its website.
The museum is located on the campus of Montclair State University, 8 Yogi Berra Dr., Little Falls, New Jersey. There is free on-site parking on the college campus.
About the Authors
Judy Gordon is a retired computer programmer, technical editor, and flight instructor based in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).
Erik Simpson, a writer and communications specialist for the Idaho National Laboratory Site, lives in Rigby, Idaho. His background includes work as a sportswriter, reporter, and technical writer.
