Italo Chelini

Italo Vincent Chelini
(Chilly or Lefty)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11½", Weight 175 lb.
• Debut September 12, 1935
• Final Game May 13, 1937
• Born October 10, 1914 in San Francisco, CA USA
• Died August 25, 1972 in San Francisco, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Italo Chelini, who was a San Franciscan contemporary of Joe DiMaggio, pitched 24 games in the big leagues. He saw his most extensive work with the 1936 Chicago White Sox, finishing 4-3 with a 4.95 ERA (that ekes in just ahead of the team's 5.06 mark) in 18 games and 83 2/3 innings. His minor league career lasted from 1932-1945. Among other teams, he spent parts of five years with the Oakland Oaks, three years with the minor league Baltimore Orioles and three with the St. Paul Saints.

Chelini was subject to writers who used Italian stereotypes - in a Sporting News article in 1939 it was said that "his hot Italian blood gets him in trouble." He died in San Francisco four days after Eddie "Scrap Iron" Kenna died there.