Donald Hugh Ferrarese (born June 19, 1929 in Oakland, CA, died November 4, 2024 in Durango, CO), is a former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals from 1955 to 1962.

Nicknamed "Midget" Ferrarese due to his diminutive stature (5'9"), Don's professional baseball career started in 1948 in the Phillies' organization at Class C Stockton of the California League. He was a member of his hometown Oakland Oaks of the top-level Pacific Coast League for all or parts of four seasons between 1949 and 1955, and won 18 games for them in 1954. Ferrarese also missed the 1951 and 1952 campaigns while performing Korean War military service.

Don was used both as a starter and reliever, throughout most of his MLB career. Ferrarese‘s finest season as a reliever was his last season. Spending time with the Phillies and Cardinals, he posted a combined 3.27 ERA (2.70 as a Cardinal) in 63+ innings of work.

Some highlights of his career include, on May 5, 1956, Ferrarese struck out 13 batters, in a losing effort and on May 12, 1956, he pitched a near-no hitter - holding the New York Yankees hitless through the first eight innings. Andy Carey’s ninth-inning lead-off single broke it up, finishing with a 2-hit, complete game shutout.

On May 26, 1959, Don was pitching for the Indians against the White Sox at Comiskey Park. He started that day and, in his three plate appearances, had three consecutive doubles. The only pitchers in the American League who had done this previously were Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth. Nobody has done it since Ferrarese. He pitched the first six and one-third innings that day, allowing no runs and three hits. (Alan Cohen's Baseball Stories)

In his Letters from Home Plate response, Don lists Joe DiMaggio as his favorite player growing up, George Zuverink as his favorite teammate, and Yankee Stadium as his favorite park to play in.

(excerpted from Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen, and Wikipedia)