Leo Cristante

From BR Bullpen

Dante Leo Cristante

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.

Debut April 21, 1951
Final Game September 7, 1955
Born December 10, 1926 in Detroit, MI USA
Died August 24, 1977 in Dearborn, MI USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Before the 1947 season Leo Cristante signed as an amateur free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies. The young right hander was assigned to the Terre Haute Phillies of the class B Three I League where he went 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA. He would be back the following season with the class A Utica Blue Sox where he went 11-9 with a 3.65 ERA.

It would take Leo five years in the minors before the 1951 Philadelphia Phillies would give him a look. He would get into 10 games, go 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA and spend the rest of the season with the Baltimore Orioles of the International League, dropping to a 4-8 record with a 4.75 ERA.

On October 15, 1952 Leo was purchased by the Milwaukee Braves from the Philadelphia Phillies. He would spend 1953 in the Southern Association with the Atlanta Crackers, where he went 14-10 with a 3.31 ERA and come right back in the 1954 season for the Crackers, with probably his best year in pro ball, his 24 wins would lead the league, he lost only 7 with a 3.59 ERA and was chosen as the starting pitcher for the All-Star Team.

However on December 6, 1954 he was traded by the Chicago White Sox with Ferris Fain and Jack Phillips to the Detroit Tigers for Bob Nieman, Walt Dropo and Ted Gray. It was fitting that his home town team, the Tigers would give Leo his second an last shot at the major leagues. He would appear in 20 games, pitching 37 innings, go 0-1 with a 3.19 ERA. This would be his last go-around at the majors, finishing with a career 1-2 record in 30 games with a 3.84 ERA.

At age 28 Cristante still had some good pitching left in him. He would spend the next four seasons (1956-1959) in the high minors ending his 13 year run in pro baseball with the 1959 Atlanta Crackers. His minor league work sheet would show that he appeared in 383 contests, winning 111 and losing 92 while pitching 1,742 innings, giving up 1,752 base hits and 631 base on balls and ending with a career 3.77 ERA.

Leo Dante Cristante died on August 24, 1977, at age 50 in Dearborn, MI.