Dario Lodigiani ("Lodi", "Dempsey")
Bats: R
Throws
: R
Position: Pitcher
Height: 5-8
Weight: 150 lb.
Born: June 6, 1916, San Francisco, CA
Club(s): Oakland Oaks, San Francisco Seals
A high school teammate of Dom DiMaggio’s, Dariio Lodigiani was a part of the stream of talented Italian ballplayers from the Bay Area that included Joe DiMaggio, Dom DiMaggio, Tony Lazzeri, Dolph Camilli, Frankie Crosetti, and many more.
“Lodi’’ began his career in the Pacific Coast League with the Oakland Oaks from 1935-37. He started 1938 in the Eastern League, then broke into the big leagues with the the Philadelphia Athletics (A's). He was with the A's from 1938 to 1940, then was traded to the Chicago White Sox from 1941 to 1942 before entering the service during World War II. He rejoined the White Sox in 1946.
The 5-foot-8, 150-pound middle infielder returned to the PCL in 1947 to become one of manager Casey Stengel's "nine old men" with the Oaks. He helped them win the PCL title in 1948, when he batted .303.
He moved on to play for skipper Lefty O'Doul and the San Francisco Seals from 1949-51, ending his PCL career with 1,133 hits, a .299 batting average, 62 home runs and 494 RBI.
The pesky hitter struck out only 143 times in 3,794 career at-bats. His best year was 1937, when he hit .327. Lodigiani played in 1,089 games in over seven seasons in the PCL racking up 61 dingers, 486 RBI, 271 doubles, and a batting average of .299.
Lodi refused to hang it up after his PCL stint, working as a player-manager for Yakima in the Western League in 1952-1953, and for Ventura in the California League in 1953. He hung it up with Channel Cities in the California League in 1954 at the age of 38.
His career minor league numbers were impressive: 1,484 games in over 13 seasons in the minors yielded 74 homeruns, 589 RBI, 196 doubles, and a lifetime minor league .301 batting average.
| Eddie Basinski | Dominic "Dom” DiMaggio | Bert Ellison |
| Tommy Lasorda |
Dario Lodigiani | Bill Schuster | Bill Weiss |
