Anthony Paul Criscola (b. July 9, 1915 in Walla Walla, WA – d. July 10, 2001 in La Jolla, CA) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the St. Louis Browns (1942–1943) and Cincinnati Reds (1944).

He is the most prominent of the three major league players to hail from Walla Walla, WA. He attended Whitman College from 1934-1935, and is the only major leaguer to come from Whitman. He was with the Toledo Mud Hens in 1940, 1941, and 1943. He roomed in the Pacific Coast League with Lou Novikoff, the "Mad Russian". Criscola told Dick Dobbins for his book "The Grand Minor League": "I roomed with Lou's clothing. I don't know what he did or where he went. I know he was often coming in when I was getting up."

Interestingly, Tony was hitless in the game in which the record for fewest pitches in a complete game was set. Pitcher Red Barrett of the Boston Braves threw only 58 pitches on August 10, 1944, in a 2-0 shutout of the Cincinnati Reds.

Tony is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He hit very well in his 91 games in 1942, going 47-for-158, a .297 batting average. He didn't fare as well in 1943 and 1944, hitting a combined .211 in 93 games.

Career totals include a batting average of .248, 1 home run, 28 runs batted in, 35 runs, and an on-base percentage of .307. He was a slightly below average fielder for his era (.966), and was used many times as a pinch-hitter during his 3-year MLB career.

Criscola died in La Jolla, California at the age of 86.

(excerpted from Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen & Wikipedia)