Pat Capri

Patrick Nicholas Capri

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0½", Weight 170 lb.
• School Brooklyn College, The City University of New York
• High School New Utrecht High School
• Debut July 16, 1944
• Final Game August 4, 1944
• Born November 27, 1918 in New York, NY USA
• Died June 14, 1989 in New York, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pat Capri spent almost all of his seven-game major league career as a pinch-runner during the ballplayer shortage caused by World War II.

Born in New York City, Pat attended New Utrecht High School and Brooklyn College, then signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938. The Cardinals had an enormous farm system at the time and Capri embarked on a journey through many of its far-strung outposts: the Fostoria Red Birds of the Ohio State League in 1938 and 1939, Williamson, WV of the Mountain State League in 1940 and the Asheville Tourists of the Piedmont League in 1941. He was an excellent defensive second baseman, leading the latter two leagues in double plays during his stays, and was an All-Star in 1940 when he scored 98 runs and drove in 105 for Williamson. He was sent to the Springfield (MO) Cardinals of the Western Association for the 1942 season, but he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out of military service in World War II and kept him out of baseball for more than a year.

Capri returned to action in 1944, this time with the Columbus (OH) Red Birds of the American Association. He was released shortly thereafter, but with the shortage of ballplayers caused by the war, he landed with the Newark Bears in the International League, was released again, and in mid-July signed with the Boston Braves, who expected regular second baseman Connie Ryan to be called up for military service at any moment. Ryan did join the Navy in late July 1944, but the team made other arrangements to replace him, relegating Capri to a backup role. He got into seven games, six of them as a pinch-runner and one at second base, and scored a run before his release in August. He managed to land on his feet once again, this time with the AA's Indianapolis Indians, for whom he finished the year batting .318 in 20 games. He promptly retired.

Capri returned to Brooklyn, where he worked as a self-employed wallpaper hanger until his death in 1989.

Further Reading

• Clifford Blau: "Leg Men: Career Pinch-Runners in Major League Baseball", in The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 38, Number 1 (Summer 2009), pp. 70-81.