About Lou Polli
Lived 1901 – 2000 (aged 99). Lou Polli was an Italian baseball player.
Louis Americo Polli (July 9, 1901 – December 19, 2000), nicknamed "Crip", was an Italian-born professional baseball relief pitcher.
Polli first played in the majors with the St. Louis Browns in 1932, pitching 6 innings with a 5.40 earned run average.
Polli would not play again in the major-leagues until 1944, a period of 12 seasons, when he pitched 35 innings for the New York Giants, with a 4.54 earned run average. Polli's MLB career ERA was 4.68.
One of the greatest pitchers in minor-league history, the lanky righthander was the first major league player born in Italy, being one of only nine Italian-born players in MLB as of 2025. Polli compiled a career minor league lifetime mark of 236–226 through 22 seasons.
At the time of his death in 2000, aged 99, Polli was the oldest living former MLB player.
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Important facts
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Lou Polli's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Lou Polli?
Italian baseball player
When was Lou Polli born?
Lou Polli was born on 9 July 1901 in Baveno.
When did Lou Polli die?
Lou Polli died on 19 December 2000 in Berlin.
What was Lou Polli's occupation?
Lou Polli was a baseball player.
What nationality was Lou Polli?
Lou Polli was Italian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lou Polli. https://biography.guide/lou-polli/
MLA: "Lou Polli." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lou-polli/.
Chicago: "Lou Polli." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lou-polli/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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