Mel Mazzera
{{short description|American baseball player (1914–1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Mel Mazzera
|image=Mel Mazzera.jpg
| position = Outfielder
| bats = Left
| throws = Left
| birth_date = {{birth date|1914|01|31}}
| birth_place = Stockton, California, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1997|12|17|1914|01|31}}
| death_place = Stockton, California, U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
| debutdate = September 9
| debutyear = 1935
| debutteam = St. Louis Browns
|finalleague = MLB
| finaldate = September 29
| finalyear = 1940
| finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies
|teams=
- St. Louis Browns (1935, 1937–1939)
- Philadelphia Phillies (1940)
|statleague = MLB
| stat1label = Batting average
| stat1value = .268
| stat2label = Home runs
| stat2value = 10
| stat3label = Runs batted in
| stat3value = 66
}}
Melvin Leonard "Mike" Mazzera (January 31, 1914{{spaced ndash}}December 17, 1997) was an American professional baseball player. In an 11-year career, Mazzera participated in five Major League seasons: four with the St. Louis Browns and one with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was officially listed as standing {{convert|5|ft|11|in|cm}} and weighing {{convert|180|lb|kg}}.{{cite web |url= https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mazzeme01.shtml |title=Mel Mazzera Statistics and History – Baseball-Reference.com |work=baseball-reference.com |year=2011 |access-date=May 23, 2011}}
Biography
=Early life=
Mazzera was born "Melvin Leonard Mazzera"{{cite book|last=Gammons|first=Peter|title=The 2006 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia|editor=Pete Palmer |editor2=Gary Gillette |editor3=Stuart Shea|publisher=Sterling|year=2006|page=439|isbn=1-4027-3625-8|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eUe37F9gN00C}} on January 31, 1914, in Stockton, California.{{cite web |url= http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profile.asp?P=Mel-Mazzera |title=Mel Mazzera Statistics – The Baseball Cube |work=thebaseballcube.com |year=2011 |access-date=May 23, 2011}}
=Career=
In 1933, Mazzera began his professional baseball career playing for the C-level San Antonio Missions. That year, Mazzera also played for the Baton Rouge Solons of the Dixie League, recording a combined batting average of .320 in 124 games played. Mazzera continued his minor-league career in 1934, playing for both the Palestine Pals of Palestine, Texas, and the San Antonio Missions. In 1935, Mazzera participated in 154 games for the San Antonio Missions while making his Major League debut for the St. Louis Browns on September 9, 1935. For his debut, Mazzera replaced Ed Coleman as a pinch runner.{{cite web |url= http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1935/B09090PHA1935.htm |title=Retrosheet Boxscore: St. Louis Browns 5, Philadelphia Athletics 1 |work=Retrosheet |year=2011 |access-date=May 26, 2011}}
Mazzera spent the entire 1936 season and the majority of the 1937 season with the San Antonio Missions, recording 96 hits, 13 doubles, and four home runs for the Missions in 1936 while recording 134 hits and nine home runs for them in 1937.{{cite web |url= https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mazzer001mel |title=Mel Mazzera Minor League Statistics & History – Baseball-Reference.com |work=baseball-reference.com |year=2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011}}
Mazzera's 1938 season was spent with the St. Louis Browns. In 86 games played, Mazzera batted for a .279 average with six home runs and twenty-five strikeouts, helping the Browns to finish seventh in the American League with a 55–97 record.{{cite web |url= https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SLB/1938.shtml |title=1938 St. Louis Browns Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics – Baseball-Reference.com |work=baseball-reference.com |year=2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011}} Mazzera played in 33 games for the Browns, but also played for the Philadelphia Phillies double-A affiliate, the Toronto Maple Leafs, later that season. Mazzera made his Philies debut in 1940, playing in 69 games for the Phillies. In his only season as a Phillie, Mazzera recorded a .237 batting average with fifteen strikeouts, nineteen walks, and thirteen runs batted in.
In 1940, Mazzera was signed by the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. Mazzera played for the Padres in the 1941, 1942, and 1944 seasons. In 1942, Mazzera led the Padres in home runs, runs batted in, doubles, and triples,{{cite web |url= https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=570e6c0b |title=1942 San Diego Padres Statistics -- Minor Leagues – Baseball-Reference.com |work=baseball-reference.com |year=2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011}} leading to the observance of a "Mel Mazzera Day" on August 30, 1942.{{cite web |url= http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/95winter/mazzera.htm |title=Mel Mazzera |work=San Diego History Center |year=2011 |access-date=May 27, 2011}}
=After baseball=
Mazzera died on December 17, 1997, in Stockton, California, and was buried in San Joaquin Cemetery in Stockton.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats |br=m/mazzeme01 |fangraphs=1008317 |brm=mazzer001mel}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mazzera, Mel}}
Category:Major League Baseball outfielders
Category:Baseball players from Stockton, California
Category:Philadelphia Phillies players
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players
Category:San Antonio Missions players
Category:St. Louis Browns players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen