Joe Cascarella

Who was Joe Cascarella?

Joseph Thomas Cascarella was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with four different teams between 1934 and 1938. Listed at 5 ft 10.5 in, 175 lb., Cascarella batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Cascarella filled various pitching roles, as a starter, or coming out from the bullpen as a middle-reliever or a closer. He reached the majors in 1934 with the Philadelphia Athletics, spending one and a half year with them before moving to the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, and Cincinnati Reds. In his rookie year he collected a career-high 12 wins, including seven in relief to lead the American League. He also was selected to an All-Star team which toured Japan after the season, but he never won more than nine games during a regular season.

In a five-season career, Cascarella posted a 27–48 record with 192 strikeouts and a 4.84 ERA in 143 appearances, including 54 starts, 20 complete games, three shutouts, 58 games finished, eight saves, and 540 ⅓ innings pitched.

Known as "Crooning Joe" for his fine tenor voice, Cascarella later became a popular singer on radio shows and in night clubs. He also worked as operational vice president of Laurel Race Track.