Which model M-20?
I operate an M20-R and can only imagine that what you were looking at was the emergency manual gear extension handle. This is a red coloured metal thing with a cover over it to prevent inadvertent activation.
This is more usually situated on the floor of the aircraft aft of fuel tank selector and the manual trim wheel and lets you get the wheels down if the electric mechanism fails.
The usual gear lever (in recent aircraft) is grey coloured, wheel shaped and on the panel either just under the glare shield or just above the bottom of the panel but within easy reach of the pilot's right hand.
SB