Lavagetto was born in Oakland, California. Nicknamed "Cookie" after an owner of the Oakland Oaks, his first professional team, he played ten seasons in the National League with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1934–36) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1937–41; 1946–47), missing four full seasons due to World War II service in the United States Navy. A right-handed batter and thrower, he hit .269 with 945 hits in 1,043 games, including 183 doubles, 37 triples, and 40 home runs. His best season was 1939, when he hit .300 with 87 runs batted in for Brooklyn.\n', '

On October 3, 1947, at Ebbets Field, Bevens was ahead 2–1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, and got two outs. He had surrendered no hits — an unprecedented World Series achievement at the time — but two runners were on base from Bevens\' ninth and tenth walks of the game. Lavagetto was summoned by Dodger pilot Burt Shotton to hit for Eddie Stanky, and with no balls and one strike cracked an opposite-field double off the right field wall to break up the no-hitter and score the two Dodger runners (pinch runners Al Gionfriddo and Eddie Miksis) for a 3–2 Brooklyn win. It was Lavagetto\'s only hit of the series (won by the Yankees in seven games), and his last as a big leaguer.\n', '

After being released by the Dodgers following the 1947 Series, Lavagetto returned to Oakland to finish his playing career with the Oaks (1948–50). When Oakland manager Chuck Dressen was named the field leader of the Dodgers in 1951, Lavagetto accompanied him and returned to Brooklyn as one of his coaches. He was an aide to Dressen with Brooklyn (1951–53) and the Pacific Coast League Oaks (1954), and followed him a third time as a member of the coaching staff when Dressen became manager of the Washington Senators in 1955.\n', '

Return to Cookie Lavagetto Autograph Profile