New Ulm HALL OF FAME Member

Leo Leininger

Pitcher

Selected 1991

Lifetime Baseball Batting Stats Page

Lifetime Baseball Pitching Stats Page

          Leo Leininger was an outstanding pitcher of late 1940's, and his feared "drop" pitch struck out a record number of batters in the old Western Minnesota League.

          Leininger averaged 10.8 strikeouts per game in his 77-game career with the Brewers. Three times in 1948 he struck out 15 batters in game (May 19 vs. St. James, Aug. 8 vs. Sleepy Eye, and Aug. 19 vs. Mankato.)

          The best of his four years was the 1948 season in which he struck out 245 batters, the highest total ever in one season for a New Ulm amateur pitcher.

          Leo won 16 games in 1948, the third highest single season victory total. For his career, his win-loss record of 35-21 resulted in a .625 winning percentage.

          In 1948 Leininger was used often and pitched in 27 games, the most ever in a season. The 209 innings-pitched is the fourth most in a season. In 1949 he worked in 26 games, the second highest ever. His 1946 strikeout average of 12.94 strikeouts per nine-inning game is 12^th best in New Ulm history.

          Not known as a hitter, Leininger struck out 85 times in 77 career games, or almost once every other at bat.

          Leo actually spent parts of four different season at New Ulm. He spent part of the 1946 season in New Ulm before ending up at Albert Lea, since the Brewers already had Minnesosta Gopher ace Jack Verby under contract. In 1946 he gave professional ball a try with the Duluth Dukes of the Northern League.