Michael John Pasquella (b. November 7, 1898 in Philadelphia, PA – d. April 5, 1965 in Bridgeport, CT), nicknamed "Toney", was a professional baseball player for one season. Mike was the first of seven children for John and Julia Pasquariello. Both parents were Italian immigrants. His father worked as a presser for tailors, although his son later recalled him as a clothing designer. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in May 1917, weeks after America entered the First World War, but did not arrive to the battle until after the armistice was signed.

Mike was at Villanova University from 1917-1919 and on July 9, 1919, made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies, getting a single. Later that month he found himself with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he got one more at-bat, ending his major league career at age 20 with a .500 batting average.

Mike also managed five seasons in the minors, beginning in 1926. That brings up the question of what he did from 1920 to 1925, and it's a bit of a puzzle...Mike played some games in the minors for the Waco Navigators in 1919. As for the rest of his minor league career, it is unclear. The minor league database shows no other Mike Pasquella, but it does show a couple entries for a John Pasquella, and Mike's middle name was John.

There is also an entry for just "Pasquella". The main problem is that his brother Dan was a contemporary of Mike's and played in the minors from 1920-1937. Dan and "John" sometimes played on the same team, and once it appears that Mike managed Dan, but it is possible that some of Dan's long record might have been misattributed to Dan instead of to Mike. That this is possible is shown by an article which refers to Dan, not Mike, as the manager of the 1926 Crisfield Crabbers. In any case, the database formally shows only that Mike played in 1919 and then suddenly re-appeared as a minor league manager in 1926.

Records are lacking, but according to the family Pasquella stayed on the field as a player-manager until 1932; Dan definitely managed at least five years longer. After leaving baseball, the ex-ballplayer fashioned a new career, working for many years as a salesman for furniture companies in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and in war industries during World War II.

Both his nickname ("Toney") and the anglicization of his last name are part of a larger media portrayal of Italians in the first half of the 20th century, and Italian immigrants' efforts to avoid prejudice.

(excerpted from SABR, Baseball Almanac, BR Bullpen & Wikipedia)