Mel Mazzera
Encyclopedia
Melvin Leonard "Mike" Mazzera (January 31, 1914 December 17, 1997) is a former professional baseball player. In an 11-year career, Mazzera participated in five Major League
seasons: four with the St. Louis Browns
and one with the Philadelphia Phillies
. He was officially listed as standing 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and weighing 180 pounds (81.6 kg).
.
. That year, Mazzera also played for the Baton Rouge Solons of the Dixie League
, recording a combined batting average
of .320 in 124 games played
. Mazzera continued his minor-league career in 1934, playing for both the Palestine Pals of Palestine, Texas
, and the San Antonio Missions. In 1935, Mazzera participated in 154 games for the San Antonio Missions while making his Major League debut for the St. Louis Browns on September 9, 1935. For his debut, Mazzera replaced Ed Coleman
as a pinch runner
.
Mazzera spent the entire 1936 season and the majority of the 1937 season with the San Antonio Missions, recording 96 hit
s, 13 double
s, and four home run
s for the Missions in 1936 while recording 134 hits and nine home runs for them in 1937.
Mazzera's 1938 season was spent with the St. Louis Browns. In 86 games played, Mazzera batted for a .279 average with six home runs and twenty-five strikeout
s, helping the Browns to finish seventh in the American League
with a 55-97 record. Mazzera played in 33 games for the Browns, but also played for the Philadelphia Phillies
double-A affiliate, the Toronto Maple Leafs, later that season. Mazzera made his Philies debut in 1940, playing in 69 games for the Phillies. In his only season as a Phillie, Mazzera recorded a .237 batting average with fifteen strikeouts, nineteen walks, and thirteen runs batted in.
In 1940, Mazzera was signed by the San Diego Padres
of the Pacific Coast League
. Mazzera played for the Padres in the 1941, 1942, and 1944 seasons. In 1942, Mazzera led the Padres in home runs, runs batted in, doubles, and triples
, leading to the observance of a "Mel Mazzera Day" on August 30, 1942.
, and was buried in San Joaquin Cemetery in Stockton.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
seasons: four with the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and one with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He was officially listed as standing 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm) and weighing 180 pounds (81.6 kg).
Early life
Mazzera was born "Melvin Leonard Mazzera" on January 31, 1914, in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
.
Career
In 1933, Mazzera began his professional baseball career playing for the C-level San Antonio MissionsSan Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
. That year, Mazzera also played for the Baton Rouge Solons of the Dixie League
Dixie League (1933 baseball)
The Dixie League was a class C baseball league formed in 1933, with teams based in the US states of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas. After one season of competition, the Dixie League was split into the East Dixie and West Dixie leagues, both of them competing in the 1934 and 1935 seasons....
, recording a combined 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 :...
of .320 in 124 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. Mazzera continued his minor-league career in 1934, playing for both the Palestine Pals of Palestine, Texas
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
, and the San Antonio Missions. In 1935, Mazzera participated in 154 games for the San Antonio Missions while making his Major League debut for the St. Louis Browns on September 9, 1935. For his debut, Mazzera replaced Ed Coleman
Ed Coleman (baseball)
Parke Edward Coleman is a former professional baseball player who played Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics from 1932–1935 and the St. Louis Browns from 1935–1936...
as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
.
Mazzera spent the entire 1936 season and the majority of the 1937 season with the San Antonio Missions, recording 96 hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
s, 13 double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s, and four home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s for the Missions in 1936 while recording 134 hits and nine home runs for them in 1937.
Mazzera's 1938 season was spent with the St. Louis Browns. In 86 games played, Mazzera batted for a .279 average with six home runs and twenty-five strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, helping the Browns to finish seventh in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with a 55-97 record. Mazzera played in 33 games for the Browns, but also played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
double-A affiliate, the Toronto Maple Leafs, later that season. Mazzera made his Philies debut in 1940, playing in 69 games for the Phillies. In his only season as a Phillie, Mazzera recorded a .237 batting average with fifteen strikeouts, nineteen walks, and thirteen runs batted in.
In 1940, Mazzera was signed by the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres (PCL)
The San Diego Padres were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1936 through 1968. The team that would eventually become the Padres was well traveled prior to moving to San Diego. It began its existence in 1903 as the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the PCL...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. Mazzera played for the Padres in the 1941, 1942, and 1944 seasons. In 1942, Mazzera led the Padres in home runs, runs batted in, doubles, and triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, leading to the observance of a "Mel Mazzera Day" on August 30, 1942.
After baseball
Mazzera died on December 17, 1997, in Stockton, CaliforniaStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, and was buried in San Joaquin Cemetery in Stockton.