Louis Henry Kretlow (June 27, 1921 – September 12, 2007)[1] was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in the Major Leagues (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers (1946; 1948–49), St. Louis Browns / Baltimore Orioles (1950, 1953, 1954–55), Chicago White Sox (1950–53), and Kansas City Athletics (1956). The native of Apache, Oklahoma, threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg). Kretlow attended the University of Oklahoma, and appeared in two games for the Sooners.[2] He left college and served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II (1943–45), before beginning his pro career in 1946.[1]

Lou Kretlow
Kretlow in about 1953
Pitcher
Born: (1921-06-27)June 27, 1921
Apache, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died: September 12, 2007(2007-09-12) (aged 86)
Enid, Oklahoma, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 26, 1946, for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
September 23, 1956, for the Kansas City Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record27–47
Earned run average4.87
Strikeouts450
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Over ten MLB seasons, Kretlow posted a 27–47 won–lost record in 199 games pitched (104 started), with 22 complete games, three shutouts, 43 games finished, one save, a 4.87 earned run average and 1.659 WHIP. In 785+13 innings pitched, he allowed 781 hits, 479 runs (425 earned) and 522 bases on balls. He was credited with 450 strikeouts.

Lou Kretlow died in Enid of natural causes at the age of 86. Kretlow's funeral occurred in Enid, Oklahoma.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Kretlow". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. September 16, 2007. p. 21A. Retrieved February 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ Allen, Malcom. "Lou Kretlow". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
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