Cookie Cuccurullo

Who was Cookie Cuccurullo?

Arthur Joseph "Cookie" Cuccurullo was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1943 to 1945. The 5 ft 10 in, 168 lb. left-hander was a native of Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States.

Cuccurullo began his career in 1939 with the Class D Greeneville Burley Cubs of the Appalachian League, and went 14-8 with them. After spending 1940 in the Class D farm system, he spent the next three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system. In 1943, he won 20 games for the Albany Senators.

Cuccurullo is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He made his major league debut on October 3, 1943. It was the last day of the season, and Cuccurullo started the second game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Blue Jays at Forbes Field. He gave up 7 runs in 7 innings and the Pirates lost 11–3. The opposing pitcher was 17-year-old rookie Rogers McKee, who was making his first and only major league start.

In three seasons Cuccurullo appeared in a total of 62 games and had a 3–5 record, 9 games started, 0 complete games, 25 games finished, and 5 saves. All three of his wins came in relief...two against the New York Giants, and one against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed 86 earned runs in 170 innings pitched for a final ERA of 4.55.