DIED. Vernon ("Lefty") Gomez, 80, ace pitcher and quipster for the New York Yankees dynasty of the 1930s; in Greenbrae, Calif. In his peak year of 1934, Gomez won 26 games and lost five. Toward the end of his career, manager Joe McCarthy said to Gomez, "Lefty, I don't think you're throwing as hard as you need to." Replied the pitcher: "You're wrong, Joe. I'm throwing twice as hard, but the ball isn't going as fast."