Ernie Lombardi

Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi (April 6, 1908 – September 26, 1977) was an American professional baseball player who played as a catcher in Major League Baseball. Born and raised in Oakland, California, he attended McClymonds High School, the same school later attended by Frank Robinson and Bill Russell. His major league career spanned 17 years, from 1931 through 1947, during which he played for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves, and the New York Giants.

Lombardi carried several nicknames over his career, among them "Schnozz," "Lumbago," "Bocci," "the Cyrano of the Iron Mask," and "Lom." Listed at 6'3" and 230 pounds, he likely approached 300 pounds by the end of his playing days, and was known for his lack of foot speed; baseball writer Bill James called him "the slowest man to ever play major league baseball well." Despite infields that played very deep against him, he hit over .300 in ten seasons and finished with a career .306 batting average. He was named an All-Star in seven seasons.

Regarded as a gentle giant, Lombardi was hugely popular among Cincinnati fans. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986.