Lou Colabello

Louis P. Colabello

• Bats Left, Throws Left

• School University of Massachusetts
• High School St. Mary's Catholic High School

• Born October 10, 1949

Biographical Information

Lou Colabello played for the Italian Olympic team and led Italy's top league in wins three times. His son Chris Colabello played in the minor leagues and also was with the Italian national team.

Colabello had a 3-2, 2.62 record for UMass in 1969, leading the team in ERA as they went to the 1969 College World Series (their most recent College World Series as of 2012). He struggled in 1970, with a 4.83 ERA, no decisions and 31 walks in 31 2/3 IP. The next year, the Milford native went 2-1 with 3 saves and a 2.74 ERA to end his college career.

Colabello came to Italy in 1977 to play for Rimini; he went 14-2 that first year, with 82 walks and 149 strikeouts in 135 innings. In '79, he was 11-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 124 K in 114 2/3 IP after a year off. He was two wins shy of co-leaders Riccardo Landucci and Michele Romano. Rimini won it all. He was with Italy for the 1979 European Championship, allowing 9 runs (only one earned) in 7 innings as Italy got the Silver Medal. At age 30 in 1980, the lefty had his best season, going 14-2 with a 1.96 ERA, 109 K in 133 IP and a .223/.303/.294 opponent batting line. He led the league in both wins and ERA and was 9 strikeouts shy of Romano in failing to win a pitching Triple Crown. His team repeated as titlists. Italy's lone southpaw in the 1980 Amateur World Series, he struggled, at 0-3, 12.46 with 15 H and 9 BB in 8 2/3 IP. Only Landucci had a worse ERA and the rest of the staff had a cumulative 5-3 record.

In 1981, Lou was 13-6, one win shy of Serie A leader David Farina. In his lone appearance in the 1981 European Championship, he was roughed up for nine hits and six runs in five innings in a loss to the Dutch national team, which beat Italy for the title. Colabello went 10-5 for Rimini in 1982. The next season, the veteran was 17-3 with 163 strikeouts in 164 1/3 innings as Rimini won its third title in his time with the club. He led Italy in wins for the second time and strikeouts for the only time. He was superb in the 1983 European Championship, going 2-0 with 5 hits in 15 innings and only two runs (one earned) as Italy won it all.

Colabello was 15-3 with 147 strikeouts in 158 innings in 1984, his final season. He led the league in victories for the third time and was 8 K behind leader Farina. He appeared for Italy in the 1984 Olympics to end his international career.

Overall, Lou had gone 94-25 with a 2.99 ERA in 132 games for Rimini, with a .225/.301/.328 opponent batting line. In 994 innings, he struck out 914, walked 412 and allowed 835 hits. Through 2011, he was tied for 21st in Italian history in wins (with Luigi Consonni), 43rd in ERA (just ahead of former major leaguer Win Remmerswaal), 25th in strikeouts and tied for 38th in WHIP.

After his playing career ended, Colabello was a scout for Italian softball teams and coached softball in the US.

Primary Sources

• UMass Record Book
• Italian Baseball and Softball Federation