Brissie honored in Savannah
Submitted by Lamar Garrard
Lou Brissie and his wife, Diana, were treated to two special events in Savannah last Monday and Tuesday, April 28 and 29.
The first was a banquet in honor of Brissie's playing days with the 1947 Savannah Indians in the Sally League. That year the future major league all-star pitcher had a record of 23 wins and five losses, the best pitching record in Savannah professional baseball history.
On Tuesday it was Lou Brissie Night at the Savannah Sand Gnats game against the Hickory Crawdads. At this time the club retired Brissie's No. 3, the number he wore on his 1947 jersey. A ballplayer's number being retired is a tremendous honor and it is the first in the Savannah team's history and possibly the only retired player number in the history of the Sally League.
Brissie played college baseball at Presbyterian College before serving in combat in the Army in WWII. In Italy he suffered major wounds to his legs and feet and almost lost a leg.
He recovered and went on to play professional ball for the Savannah Indians. After one year in Savannah he went to the Philadelphia A's where he had an outstanding pitching career and pitched in the 1949 All-Star game in Brooklyn.
He finished his major league career with the Cleveland Indians and was on the same pitching staff as Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Early Wynn, Bob Lemon and Mike Garcia.
Brissie is a member of the Sally League Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Several family members and some local friends also attended the festivities.
