| Leo Fishel | |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Birth Date: | 13 December 1877 |
| Birth Place: | Babylon, New York |
| Death Place: | Hempstead, New York |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | May 3 |
| Debutteam: | New York Giants |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | May 3 |
| Finalteam: | New York Giants |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 0–1 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 6.00 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 6 |
| Teams: | |
Leo Fishel (December 13, 1877 – May 19, 1960) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played one game for the New York Giants in 1899. He also attended Columbia University and became a lawyer after his professional baseball career was over. Fishel stood at 6' 0" and weighed 175 lbs.[1]
Leo Fishel was born in Babylon, New York, as the youngest of eight children to Leopold and Theresa Fishel.[2] He entered Columbia in the fall of 1894 and pitched for the baseball team there while also playing for various semi-pro teams around New York and New Jersey. He was once offered US$20 plus expenses to pitch in a game for White Plains.[2]
On May 3, 1899, Fishel made his major league debut for the New York Giants, pitching a complete game and taking the loss.[1] He was the first Jewish pitcher in Major League Baseball.[3] [4] Later that summer, he played for the New London Whalers and New Haven Blues of the Connecticut State League. Fishel went 2-4 in the CSL and did not play any professional baseball after 1899.[5]
Fishel graduated from Columbia Law School in 1900 and was admitted to the bar later that year.[2] He became coach of the Columbia baseball team in early 1901[6] and over the next few years played and coached various teams in the area while setting up his law practice. In 1905, he won a championship while coaching the Freeport High School team.[2]
Fishel was married twice. His first marriage to Mary Blossom Searle in 1903 produced one daughter, but it ended in divorce. He later married Laura Duerstein, and his second child, a son, was born in 1917.[2]
Fishel died in Hempstead, New York, in 1960.[1]