Leo Schrall

Who was Leo Schrall?

Leo Schrall was an infielder and manager in minor league baseball and a head coach in college baseball.

Born in Cresson, Pennsylvania, Schrall attended University of Notre Dame, where he enjoyed a successful career as three-sport student-athlete. He excelled at baseball, being considered by many critics as one of the premier shortstops in college baseball. Schrall was the regular shortstop for Notre Dame from 1927 to 1928, and started his professional baseball career after graduating in 1928.

Schrall played from 1929 through 1932 in the Three-I, Middle Atlantic and Mississippi Valley leagues, compiling a .252 batting average with six different teams in 324 games.

But it was at Bradley University that Schrall achieved national notoriety. A highly successful head coach, he led the Bradley Braves squad from 1949 to 1972. His teams won 346 games while losing only 189 in 24 seasons, reaching the College World Series in 1950 and 1956. Under his direction, the Braves also won four Missouri Valley Conference titles outright and shared another.

Schrall also managed the Peoria Redwings of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.