Longtime Chicago White Sox Player, Scout Dario Lodigiani Dies

By admin - Posted on February 14th, 2008

02/13/2008, CHICAGO -- Dario Lodigiani, a well-known former major-league player, coach and long-time scout for the Chicago White Sox, passed away Sunday night at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California at age 91.

Dario Lodigiani continued to serve as a part-time scout for the White Sox in Northern California until his death, receiving a World Series championship ring from the White Sox following the 2005 playoffs.

Among players he discovered and/or signed were former Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell and White Sox General Manager Ken Williams.

"Dario, along with Jerry Krause and Bart Johnson, was a key figure in bringing me to the White Sox organization in 1982," Williams said. "It's hard to believe so much time has passed, and that he is gone now. Dario will never be forgotten by me or my family. What a wonderful man, and he will be missed."

His lifelong commitment to baseball began over eight decades ago when he played alongside Joe DiMaggio at Lowell Junior High in San Francisco.

Lodigiani split time between the Philadelphia A's (1938-40) and the White Sox (1941, '42, '46), playing six seasons in the major leagues before returning to the minors until 1954 after an elbow injury. During his baseball career, he took time off in 1943-45 to enter the U.S. Army Air Corps.

The 5-foot-8, 150-pound infielder hit .260 with 16 home runs and 156 RBI in 405 major-league games.

Upon ending his playing career, Lodigiani began scouting for the White Sox in 1954. He then coached for manager Joe Gordon with both the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Athletics before returning to scout for the Sox in 1963. Lodigiani continued with the Sox until his death.

Before passing away, Lodgiani was quoted as saying, "This has been my life forever so I don't even think about it [retirement] anymore."

A rosary service will be held Friday night at Claffey Rota Funeral Chapel, Napa Valley, and the funeral mass will be Saturday at 10 am at St. Apollinaris Church, Napa Valley.

Source: MLB

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