Leo Schrall
Encyclopedia
Leo Schrall was an infielder
and manager
in minor league baseball
and a head coach
in college baseball
.
Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania
, Schrall attended University of Notre Dame
, where he enjoyed a successful career as three-sport student-athlete. He excelled at baseball, being considered by many critics as one of the premier shortstop
s in college baseball. Schrall was the regular shortstop for Notre Dame from 1927 to 1928, and started his professional baseball career after graduating in 1928.
Schrall played from 1929 through 1932 in the Three-I, Middle Atlantic
and Mississippi Valley
leagues, compiling a .252 batting average
with six different teams in 324 games.
But it was at Bradley University
that Schrall achieved national notoriety. A highly successful head coach, he led the Bradley Braves squad from 1949 to 1972. His teams won 346 games while losing only 189 in 24 seasons, reaching the College World Series
in 1950
and 1956
. Under his direction, the Braves also won four Missouri Valley Conference
titles outright and shared another.
Schrall also managed the Peoria Redwings
of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. He took over the leadership of the Redwings late in 1947 and managed them in the 1948 and 1949 seasons. He later managed for the Hastings Giants of the Nebraska State League
from 1957 to 1959.
In 1983 Schrall was named to the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame. He also is part of Women in Baseball, the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
, which was inaugurated in 1988 in honor of the entire league rather than individual baseball personalities.
Schrall was a long time resident of Peoria, Illinois
, where he died at the age of 91.
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
and a head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
in college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
.
Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania
Cresson, Pennsylvania
Cresson is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, east of Pittsburgh. Cresson is an elevated place known for its beauty. Mineral springs add to its attractions. It is above 2,000 feet in elevation. Lumber, coal, and coke yards were industries that had supported the population which numbered...
, Schrall attended University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, where he enjoyed a successful career as three-sport student-athlete. He excelled at baseball, being considered by many critics as one of the premier shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
s in college baseball. Schrall was the regular shortstop for Notre Dame from 1927 to 1928, and started his professional baseball career after graduating in 1928.
Schrall played from 1929 through 1932 in the Three-I, Middle Atlantic
Middle Atlantic League
The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century.-History:...
and Mississippi Valley
Mississippi Valley League
The Mississippi Valley League was a Class-D minor baseball league from 1922 to 1932, and a Class-B league in 1933.The league began play in 1922 with six teams: the Cedar Rapids Bunnies, the Marshalltown Ansons, the Rock Island Islanders, the Waterloo Hawks, the Ottumwa Cardinals and the Dubuque...
leagues, compiling a .252 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with six different teams in 324 games.
But it was at Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
that Schrall achieved national notoriety. A highly successful head coach, he led the Bradley Braves squad from 1949 to 1972. His teams won 346 games while losing only 189 in 24 seasons, reaching the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
in 1950
1950 College World Series
The 1950 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska from June 15 to June 23. It was the first College World Series to be held at the stadium, which hosted the event through 2010....
and 1956
1956 College World Series
The 1956 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 9 to June 14. The tenth tournament's champion was the University of Minnesota, coached by Dick Siebert...
. Under his direction, the Braves also won four Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
titles outright and shared another.
Schrall also managed the Peoria Redwings
Peoria Redwings
The Peoria Redwings were a women's professional baseball team who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the season. The team represented Peoria, Illinois....
of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
. He took over the leadership of the Redwings late in 1947 and managed them in the 1948 and 1949 seasons. He later managed for the Hastings Giants of the Nebraska State League
Nebraska State League
The Nebraska State League was an American professional baseball league with five incarnations. At least, the name was adopted five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 and from 1956 to 1959....
from 1957 to 1959.
In 1983 Schrall was named to the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame. He also is part of Women in Baseball, the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, which was inaugurated in 1988 in honor of the entire league rather than individual baseball personalities.
Schrall was a long time resident of Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, where he died at the age of 91.
Career timeline
| Year | Club | Level | Position |
| 1929 | Peoria Tractors | IIIL | Infielder |
| 1930 | Decatur Commodores Decatur Commodores The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1900 to 1974 in a variety of minor leagues, but spent the majority of their existence in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League , later joining the... |
IIIL | Infielder |
| 1931 | Jeannette Jays Altoona Engineers Beaver Falls Beavers |
MATL Middle Atlantic League The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century.-History:... |
Infielder |
| 1932 | Dubuque Tigers Mississippi Valley League The Mississippi Valley League was a Class-D minor baseball league from 1922 to 1932, and a Class-B league in 1933.The league began play in 1922 with six teams: the Cedar Rapids Bunnies, the Marshalltown Ansons, the Rock Island Islanders, the Waterloo Hawks, the Ottumwa Cardinals and the Dubuque... |
MSVL Mississippi Valley League The Mississippi Valley League was a Class-D minor baseball league from 1922 to 1932, and a Class-B league in 1933.The league began play in 1922 with six teams: the Cedar Rapids Bunnies, the Marshalltown Ansons, the Rock Island Islanders, the Waterloo Hawks, the Ottumwa Cardinals and the Dubuque... |
Infielder |
| 1947 1948 1949 |
Peoria Redwings Peoria Redwings The Peoria Redwings were a women's professional baseball team who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the season. The team represented Peoria, Illinois.... |
AAGPBL | Manager |
| 1949 through 1972 |
Bradley University Braves Bradley University Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350.... |
CB College baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily... |
Coach |
| 1957 1958 1959 |
Hastings Giants | NESL Nebraska State League The Nebraska State League was an American professional baseball league with five incarnations. At least, the name was adopted five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 and from 1956 to 1959.... |
Manager |