Nino Bongiovanni
Encyclopedia
Anthony Thomas "Nino" Bongiovanni (December 21, 1911 – January 6, 2009) was a professional baseball
player and manager. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball
for the Cincinnati Reds
. Bongiovanni was 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed 175 pounds.
's Seattle Indians
. Bongiovanni played in the PCL for five seasons, batting
over .300 in three of them. In 1937, he batted .322 and led the league with 236 hits
. He was then drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in October of that year.
Bongiovanni appeared in two games for the Reds in 1938 but spent most of the season with the International League
's Syracuse Chiefs, where he batted .321 with 12 home run
s. In 1939, Bongiovanni returned to the Reds. He started the season as a pinch hitter
, became the team's regular right fielder
in July, and then returned to mostly pinch hitting by September. In 66 games, he had a .258 batting average. Cincinnati won the National League
pennant, and Bongiovanni appeared in the 1939 World Series
against the New York Yankees
. He made an out in his only at bat
, which came in game 3.
In January 1940, Bongiovanni was traded to the Yankees. He went into the Yankees's farm system that year and never played in the majors again. Bongiovanni's career was interrupted during World War II
, when he was in the military. He returned to professional baseball in 1946, and in 1947, he batted a career-high .363 in the California League
. In 1948, he became a player-manager
for the Far West League
's Oroville Red Sox, batting .350 in 82 games. He finished his career the following season as a player-manager for the California League's Stockton Ports
.
In later years, Bongiovanni owned a business and worked for the Santa Clara Unified School District
. He died in San Jose, California
, in 2009. He was survived by his wife, Dora, and three children.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and manager. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball
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...
for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. Bongiovanni was 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighed 175 pounds.
Career
Bongiovanni was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1911. He started his professional baseball career in 1933 with the Pacific Coast LeaguePacific 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...
's Seattle Indians
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
. Bongiovanni played in the PCL for five seasons, batting
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 :...
over .300 in three of them. In 1937, he batted .322 and led the league with 236 hits
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....
. He was then drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in October of that year.
Bongiovanni appeared in two games for the Reds in 1938 but spent most of the season with the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
's Syracuse Chiefs, where he batted .321 with 12 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. In 1939, Bongiovanni returned to the Reds. He started the season as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
, became the team's regular right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in July, and then returned to mostly pinch hitting by September. In 66 games, he had a .258 batting average. Cincinnati won the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pennant, and Bongiovanni appeared in the 1939 World Series
1939 World Series
The 1939 World Series featured the three-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds, who were making their first Series appearance since the scandal-tainted 1919 World Series. The Yankees swept the Series in four games for the second time in a row, winning their record...
against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He made an out in his only at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
, which came in game 3.
In January 1940, Bongiovanni was traded to the Yankees. He went into the Yankees's farm system that year and never played in the majors again. Bongiovanni's career was interrupted during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when he was in the military. He returned to professional baseball in 1946, and in 1947, he batted a career-high .363 in the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. In 1948, he became a player-manager
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
for the Far West League
Far West League
The Far West League was a "Class C" league in Minor League Baseball that had eight teams and operated from 1948-1951.-Cities represented:*Eugene, OR – Eugene Larks *Klamath Falls, OR – Klamath Falls Gems...
's Oroville Red Sox, batting .350 in 82 games. He finished his career the following season as a player-manager for the California League's Stockton Ports
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a baseball team in Stockton, California. The Ports play in the Northern Division of the Class A – Advanced California League and are a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Their home field is Banner Island Ballpark which seats over 5,000 people and opened in...
.
In later years, Bongiovanni owned a business and worked for the Santa Clara Unified School District
Santa Clara Unified School District
The Santa Clara Unified School District operates sixteen elementary schools , three middle schools , three high schools , and one K-12 school in Santa Clara, California, the Alviso neighborhood of San Jose, and parts of Sunnyvale teaching 14451 students...
. He died in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, in 2009. He was survived by his wife, Dora, and three children.