Mario Picone

From BR Bullpen

Mario Peter Picone (Babe)

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.

Debut September 27, 1947
Final Game June 24, 1954
Born July 5, 1926 in Brooklyn, NY USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Righthander Mario Picone was a Brooklyn born pitching prospect when he was signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Giants before the 1944 season. The Giants farmed him out to the Bristol Twins of the class D Appalachian League and on June 15, 1944 on his way to a 11-10 season he struck out 28 batters in a 19 inning 3-2 victory over the Johnson City Cardinals. As of that date this was considered to be a record in organized ball.

Mario would have two more good years (1945-46) in the minors and on September 27, 1947 he made his big league debut at the Polo Grounds, pitching seven innings in two games with no decisions. The twenty year old was sent back to the minors for more seasoning and after a 21-8 split season with the Sioux City Soos of the Western League and the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1952 Mario would get his second look at the major leagues. This time up he he went 0-1 while pitching nine innings in two outings.

In 1953 Picone went back down under one more time, coming up with a 14-8 year with the fifth place (76-78) AAA Minneapolis Millers while pitching 211 innings. This got the Giants attention once again and Picone would get his third and last chance at the bigs but he had no decisions, appearing in 9 games while pitching 14 innings and on June 8, 1954 Mario was sold to the Cincinnati Redlegs for $15,000. Mario was with Cincinnati for 16 days, going 0-1 while appearing in four games and pitching 10 innings. This was it for Mario and he finished up his big league run with a 0-2 record and a 6.30 ERA while appearing in 13 games and pitching 40 innings.

Mario finished out 1954 with the AAA Minneapolis club and the Rochester Red Wings of the IL, going 4-6 and and in 1955 had a very poor 7-16 record and finished out his 13 year minor league run with the AAA Buffalo Bisons in 1956, showing no decisions in one appearance. Altogether Mario had a good minor league record, winning 129 and losing 98 with a 3.93 ERA while pitching 1,971 innings.

As of last notice Mario still resides in Brooklyn, NY, where he was the long time owner of an aluminun siding business. Mario also had a brother, Frank Picone, who was a pitcher in the minor leagues in 1953-54.