Francis "Lefty" O'Doul Bridge

The Francis "Lefty" O'Doul Bridge in San Francisco, California is named after the great baseball player. O'Doul lived from 1897 to 1969 and played American Major League Baseball. He was more than just a left fielder though, because Lefty was able to manage the minor leagues quite successfully. He was even very important to the baseball system in Japan. O'Doul left a legacy in Japan with his attempts at being a goodwill ambassador after and even before World War II. The Tokyo Giants exist because Lefty was able to go there and help set up a team.

Lefty was placed in the San Francisco Hall of Fame in 1981 and in the Japanese Hall of Fame in 2002. He was unfortunately not inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. There are several restaurants and places in San Francisco named after Lefty including Lefty O'Doul Bridge. The bridge was built by the engineer who created the Golden Gate Bridge. It is a drawbridge style creation that runs across the Mission Channel at Third Street. Visitors and residents can use this bridge to get around the city, especially if other bridges are fogged out or up to let boats through.