Lou Kretlow – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Lou Kretlow wrapped up his ten-year Major League Baseball career in 1956, but honestly, his journey from Oklahoma sandlots to the majors is still one of baseball’s most intriguing “what could’ve been” stories. As a right-handed pitcher, he flashed serious talent that made people compare him to future Hall of Famers, yet he just couldn’t quite overcome his control problems.

Kretlow ended up with a 27-47 record in 200 MLB games, pitching for six teams—among them the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Kansas City Athletics. He gained a bit of a reputation for wildness, walking an average of six batters per nine innings. Still, hitters and coaches always talked about his nasty fastball and curveball.

From his early days dominating semipro tournaments during his time in the military to his last MLB appearance in September 1956, Kretlow’s career really shows how thin the line is between big league success and disappointment. His story includes wartime service, minor league stardom, and a constant fight to turn raw ability into dependable results at the highest level.

Lou Kretlow’s MLB Career Overview

Lou Kretlow pitched for five different teams over 10 seasons, from 1946 to 1956. He finished with a 27-47 record, a 4.87 ERA, and 450 strikeouts.

Even though he threw some electric stuff, his career always seemed to be hampered by control issues.

MLB Teams and Years Played

Louis Henry Kretlow bounced around several franchises during his decade in the majors. He broke in with the Detroit Tigers in 1946, making his debut on September 26 against the St. Louis Browns.

After spending 1947 in the minors because of elbow trouble, Kretlow came back to Detroit for 1948 and 1949. The Tigers then sent him to the St. Louis Browns in December 1949 along with $100,000 for second baseman Jerry Priddy.

His stint with St. Louis in 1950 was short. The Chicago White Sox grabbed him on waivers in July, and he actually found his best form there under manager Paul Richards and pitching coach Ray Berres from 1950-53.

The White Sox shipped him back to the Browns in June 1953. When that team moved to Baltimore, he became part of the Baltimore Orioles in 1954 and 1955.

Kretlow wrapped up his career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1956. He pitched his final game on September 23, 1956, at age 35.

Key Career Highlights

Kretlow’s best stretch came with Chicago from 1951-52, thanks in large part to Paul Richards’ steady hand. In 1951, he managed a 6-9 record with a 4.20 ERA and, for the first time in his MLB life, struck out more batters than he walked.

His standout season was 1952, when he went 4-4 with a career-low 2.96 ERA. Even with shoulder bursitis slowing him down, he allowed just 52 hits in 79 innings.

A few highlights:

• Threw his first MLB shutout on June 20, 1951, against Washington
• Fired back-to-back two-hit shutouts in July 1952
• Struck out 10 batters against Boston on September 15, 1952—his personal best

Kretlow’s MLB debut was a good one. He beat St. Louis 6-3 with a complete-game seven-hitter and even went 2-for-4 at the plate. Pitching coach Harry Brecheen once joked, “If they’d make the plate five inches wider, that fellow would become a great pitcher.”

People around the league respected his fastball, calling it one of the best, but those control issues just never went away.

Retirement and Final Season

Kretlow’s last season with Kansas City in 1956 brought his pro baseball days to a close. He made his final appearance on September 23, 1956, tossing three innings against the Chicago White Sox and giving up five hits and one earned run.

That 1956 season really summed up his big league career—frustrating, honestly. By age 35, Kretlow still couldn’t get past the control problems that defined his time in the majors.

After stepping away from baseball, he went back to Oklahoma. He had pitched parts of 10 seasons in the majors, and that walk rate—six per nine innings—stuck with him.

His career numbers: 200 games, 27 wins, 47 losses, and 450 strikeouts. Even with a less-than-stellar win-loss record, teammates and coaches kept praising his raw ability and that fastball.

Kretlow died on September 12, 2007, in Enid, Oklahoma. He was 86.

Pitching Performance and Statistics

Lou Kretlow’s MLB career, which lasted a decade, produced a 27-47 record and a 4.87 ERA to go with 450 strikeouts. He showed bursts of brilliance but couldn’t shake his reputation for wildness, earning a nickname that summed up his unpredictability.

Win–Loss Record and ERA

Kretlow ended up with a 27-47 win-loss record—not exactly what he’d hoped for, but it reflected the tough road he faced over ten years in the bigs. His career ERA of 4.87 was well above the league’s average for those years.

In 1956, his last year with the Kansas City Athletics, things didn’t get any easier. He posted a 5.25 ERA across 25 games.

His home and away splits that year were kind of interesting. At home, he pitched 11 games and had a 6.19 ERA over 56.2 innings. On the road, he fared better—14 games, 4.57 ERA in 63 innings.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch probably nailed it best in 1953: “Lou Kretlow is a man whose pitching has speed, but often no steering wheel.”

Strikeouts and Innings Pitched

Kretlow racked up 450 strikeouts in his career. He definitely had the velocity to get hitters out, but his command just wasn’t always there.

In 1956, he logged 119.2 innings across 25 appearances. That kind of workload was pretty normal for him, since he bounced between starting and relieving.

His innings pitched jumped around depending on the team and season. That versatility let him help out in a lot of different roles for the Tigers, Browns, Orioles, White Sox, and Athletics.

WHIP, Complete Games, and Shutouts

You could see Kretlow’s control issues in his walk totals and efficiency stats. In 1956, he walked 74 batters in 119.2 innings, which led to a pretty high WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched).

That same year, he gave up 124 hits along with those 74 walks, so he always seemed to be pitching with runners on base. This pattern kind of followed him his whole career.

Complete games and shutouts didn’t come often for Kretlow, mostly because of the walks. He moved between starting and relief, so he didn’t get a lot of chances to finish games.

All those walks and hits made it tough for him to pitch deep into games.

Early Life and Amateur Achievements

Lou Kretlow’s road to pro baseball started in Oklahoma, where he worked on his game from childhood through college. He stood out at Putnam City High School and really took off with the semipro Enid Enidairs while serving in the military.

Childhood and High School Years

Louis Henry Kretlow was born June 27, 1921, in Apache, Oklahoma. He grew up about 75 miles away in Oklahoma City with his family.

His dad, Sidney P. Kretlow, came from Wisconsin and met Bertha “Birdie” Beall while stationed at Fort Sill with the U.S. Army. The family welcomed a daughter, Edith, in 1924. Sidney worked as an insurance agent while Lou was growing up.

High School Athletic Success:

• Went to Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City
• Mostly played outfield for the Pirates
• Helped the team win three county tournaments
• Led the Pirates to central conference championships in 1940 and 1941
• Played forward on the basketball team, too

Kretlow learned baseball playing in daisy patches before becoming a big part of his high school squad. He wasn’t just a baseball guy—he held his own on the basketball court as well.

Collegiate Baseball and Early Promise

After high school, Kretlow gave the University of Oklahoma a shot. He pitched in just two games for the Sooners, winning one, before his college career got cut short when he joined the military.

Kretlow signed up for the Army Air Corps and spent 39 months serving during World War II. While stationed at Enid Army Airfield, his pitching career really started to shine with the semipro Enid Enidairs.

Semipro Excellence (1943-1945):

• Picked up the nickname “Big Lena”
• 1943: Went 15-5, beat Pirates pitcher Ken Heintzelman 1-0
• 1944: Finished 14-5, tossed the first no-hitter in National Baseball Congress history
• 1945: Led Enidairs to NBC championship with a 19-6 record

Over those three years, he went 48-16 and got picked as an NBC All American three times. NBC President Ray Dumont called him “the top prospect among thousands of military personnel,” and said he was “sure to become one of baseball’s greats.”

Those performances eventually got him into the Sandlot Hall of Fame and put him on the radar for major league scouts.

Military Service and Semipro Experience

Lou Kretlow served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II from 1943 to 1945, which interrupted his college baseball days at the University of Oklahoma. While serving, he turned himself into a pro prospect with the semipro Enid Enidairs, posting an eye-popping 48-16 record over three seasons.

Service in the U.S. Army Air Forces

Kretlow enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces after pitching just two games for the Oklahoma Sooners. He spent 39 months in the service during World War II.

He got stationed at Enid Army Airfield in Oklahoma, which turned out to be a lucky break for his baseball career. The base let him keep playing competitive ball while serving.

Kretlow left the service in December 1945 with the rank of Colonel. NBC President Ray Dumont called him the top prospect among thousands of military players who competed during the war.

Semipro Success with Enid Enidairs

At Enid Army Airfield, Kretlow suited up for the semipro Enid Enidairs and picked up the nickname “Big Lena.”

His three-year run was impressive:

• 1943: 15-5 record
• 1944: 14-5, threw the first no-hitter in NBC history
• 1945: 19-6, helped the team win the NBC championship

In 1943, he outdueled Pirates pitcher Ken Heintzelman 1-0 at the National Baseball Congress tournament. He also struck out 14 batters against a Fort Riley team featuring 1941 NL batting champ Pete Reiser.

The Enid Enidairs finished as runners-up in 1943 and 1944. In 1945, with Danny Doyle and Cot Deal on the roster, Kretlow helped bring home the NBC championship in Wichita, Kansas.

He earned three NBC All American nods for his semipro play and eventually got inducted into the Sandlot Hall of Fame.

Key Seasons and Notable Games

Kretlow’s ten-year career had its share of highlights, especially in 1951-52 with the Chicago White Sox. His best season came in 1952, when he posted a 2.96 ERA and threw two shutouts.

Memorable Pitching Performances

Kretlow had his most productive year as a starter with the Chicago White Sox in 1951. He started 18 games and managed to finish seven of them, even notching a shutout along the way.

That season saw him log 137 innings, which was the most he’d ever pitched in one year.

The next year, he did even better on paper. In 1952, Kretlow posted a career-low 2.96 ERA over 79 innings.

He completed four games and picked up two shutouts, showing he could really go the distance when things clicked.

His debut on September 26, 1946, still stands out. Kretlow pitched a complete game for the Detroit Tigers, giving up just seven hits and striking out four.

That effort got him his first major league victory.

Kretlow’s last big moment came on September 23, 1956, pitching for the Kansas City Athletics. He threw three innings against his old team, the Chicago White Sox, and allowed just one earned run.

That game would be his final major league appearance.

Transition Between Teams

Kretlow changed teams a lot, usually when he struggled on the mound. After leaving Detroit in 1949, he bounced between the St. Louis Browns and the Chicago White Sox in 1950.

His most settled stretch happened with the White Sox from 1950 to 1953. During those years, he put up a 10-13 record and a 3.73 ERA.

The White Sox kept giving him chances, both as a starter and out of the bullpen.

The St. Louis Browns turned into the Baltimore Orioles while Kretlow was with them. He played for the franchise during their last seasons in St. Louis and their first years in Baltimore, from 1954 to 1955.

His career wrapped up with the Kansas City Athletics in 1956. Kretlow had a rough go, ending up with a 5.31 ERA and surrendering 17 home runs in just 118 innings.

After that season, the Athletics let him go, and that was it for his major league days.

Post-Baseball Life and Legacy

After he left professional baseball in 1956, Lou Kretlow headed back to Oklahoma. He dove into academic and professional pursuits but never really left the game behind.

His semi-professional achievements got him a spot in the Sandlot Hall of Fame, which pretty much locked in his place in baseball history.

Life After Baseball

Once he finished up in the majors, Kretlow settled down in Oklahoma, where he’d always had strong ties. He went back to Central State College, now the University of Central Oklahoma, and finished the studies he’d started during his playing days.

Kretlow stayed married to June Hardy, whom he married on November 13, 1943. They stayed together until his death in 2007, which is pretty remarkable.

They raised three daughters—Diana, Jonee, and Karen.

Even after his pitching career ended, he kept a foot in the athletic world. In 1947, while recovering from elbow problems, Kretlow worked as a basketball referee. That move showed he just couldn’t stay away from sports, even when his arm wouldn’t cooperate.

He spent his later years in Enid, Oklahoma. It’s the same place where he’d served in the military and played semi-pro ball.

Kretlow passed away on September 12, 2007, at age 86.

Honors and Recognition

Kretlow picked up his most meaningful post-career honor when the Sandlot Hall of Fame inducted him. They recognized his outstanding semi-professional run with the Enid Enidairs during World War II.

He really made a mark in semi-pro ball. Over three years with the Enidairs from 1943 to 1945, Kretlow racked up a 48-16 record.

He also grabbed three straight NBC All American selections during that time.

Key Semi-Pro Accomplishments:

• Threw the first no-hitter in National Baseball Congress history in 1944
• Helped the Enidairs win the 1945 NBC championship
• Went 19-6 in that championship season
• Struck out 14 batters in a game against a lineup that included Pete Reiser

NBC President Ray Dumont once called Kretlow the top prospect out of the thousands of military personnel who played in the organization.

After his death in 2007, his family buried him at Memorial Park Cemetery in Enid, Oklahoma.