Rugger Ardizoia

Who is Rugger Ardizoia?

Rinaldo Joseph "Rugger" Ardizoia is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 5"11", 180 lb. right-hander is, as of 2010, one of only six Italian natives to ever play in the big leagues, appearing in one game for the New York Yankees in 1947. He was born in Oleggio, Italy.

The 27-year-old rookie took the mound on April 30, 1947 at Sportsmans Park in the bottom of the 7th inning with the Yankees trailing the St. Louis Browns. He pitched two innings for New York and faced a total of 10 batters, giving up four hits, a walk, and two earned runs. The final score was Browns 15, Yankees 5. Ardizoia was credited with a game finished.

Ardizoia's minor league baseball career spanned fifteen seasons, starting in 1937 with the Mission Reds. He missed three seasons while serving in World War II in 1943–45, then played for the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League in 1946. Following his brief major league career, he returned to the PCL until 1950, then ended his career with the Dallas Eagles of the Texas League in 1951.

Ardizoia is currently the oldest living former Yankee. He is also the oldest in a group of nearly 1500 players who have appeared in exactly one Major League game.