Al Zarilla
From BR Bullpen
Allen Lee Zarilla (Zeke)
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut June 30, 1943
- Final Game September 26, 1953
- Born May 1, 1919 in Los Angeles, CA USA
- Died August 28, 1996 in Honolulu, HI USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Outfielder Al Zarilla had a ten-season career with the St. Louis Browns, the Boston Red Sox, and the Chicago White Sox.
He hit .299 as part of the 1944 Browns team that went to the World Series. In the games he started in the Series, he batted sixth in the lineup, behind Vern Stephens in the cleanup spot and George McQuinn in the fifth spot. He then entered the Army in November 1944 and was discharged in October 1945.
In 1948, he hit .329 for the Browns, which was fourth in the league. He played in the All-Star Game that year. In Chicago in 1951 and 1952, he played in the White Sox outfield with Minnie Minoso.
Playing two different times for the Red Sox, he hit .325 in 1950, which was fifth in the league. He played alongside Ted Williams and Dom DiMaggio in the outfield. When he came back to the Red Sox in 1952 and 1953, he didn't hit as well, and Hoot Evers and Jim Piersall got the bulk of the playing time.
Working as a scout in 1958, he discovered Diego Segui.
Zarilla recalled that Browns teammate Johnny Berardino would do skits and soliloquies, long before before Berardino went on to become a television star.
After his playing career ended, Zarilla managed the Magic Valley Cowboys in 1956, spent a season as a Washington Senators coach (1971) and scouted for several teams including the Texas Rangers. He died of cancer in 1996 at age 77.
[edit] Records Held
- Triples, inning, 2, 7/13/46 (tied)
[edit] Notable Achievements
- AL All-Star (1948)
