by JOHN MOUNTAIN

       Regarding Lefty Gomez and where he lived. Lefty lived in the first house south of Metropolitan Avenue on 122nd Street.  However, this rented house was on the 2nd lot of the street.  The first lot had contained a house at some time or another that had been torn down.  My Father, with permission of the owner of the property, had a Victory garden (1943-45) on the site.  Across the street from that property, on the other side of 122nd street, was an old building which I'm told was a Jewish center, although I never saw any services in the building.  West on Metropolitan Avenue was a beautiful white house which contained the Maurice Cook funeral parlor.  Lefty, my Father, and the parlor manager, Johnny Angarson, used to hang out there.  The next lot west, was the first frozen food store in Queens and a dry cleaning store.  Then there was a very large open lot which was used for parking and now an apartment house stands on it.
       Lefty lived there with his wife, the former June O'Day, the actress, and their two children, Veronica and Vernon.  Throughout the war he lived there; I don't recall him ever going in the Army.  Although he was very active in entertaining our servicemen and giving them autographed baseballs.
       I lived for 37 years (1942-1979) in Apartment 4A of the Kew Brevoort.

[Submitted December 27, 2003.  John Mountain passed away May 22, 2004.]