When you talk about the great power hitters who have worn the Red and White of the Penguins, no matter what era, then the name Lou "Chip" Zitello comes to mind right off the bat. Nicknamed Chip by his peers, his offense was plenty and his power was extraordinaire.
Born in Youngstown, he attended nearby Chaney High School earning three letters in football where he was named to the All-City Series football squad as both a junior and senior During his senior season. he also was named to the All-Area and All-Northeastern Ohio football team as well.
Upon graduation. he opted to stay home and attend Youngstown State University, only this time it was time to play the sport that he so excelled in on the local sandlots, baseball.
Playing for Head Coach Dom Rosselli from 1969-71, his three seasons resulted in three letters earned while helping the Penguins to a 69-34 overall diamond mark.
He is still ranked in the top 20 in no less than 16 offensive categories, ranking in the top 10 in 11 of those categories and in the top five in nine of the aforementioned areas
Remembering that in the late ' 60's and early '70's the team played a high 39 games (in 1970) due to inclement weather, and didn't take a southern trip to prepare for the regular northern portion of the schedule, the fact that the Penguin teams that he played on won 20-plus games all three seasons is a remarkable feat. In fact, the 21 wins that the team posted in 1969. Zitello's first season as a Penguin was the first time that any Penguin diamond squad had won 20 games in a campaign, and marked the first of nine straight seasons of 20 or more victories (they also turned the trick 10 out of 11 seasons from 1969 to 1979). They also won 24 games in each of his next two seasons.
His two triples in a single game is still the team's high water mark in that category while he remains fourth on the career list with five home runs in a season and most walks in a career (56), ranks fifth in runs batted in a season (27), runs batted in a career (73), runs scored in a career (82), most doubles in a season (10) and most doubles in a career (23) as well.
His 43 hits in a season was a top five entry at the time he turned the trick, still ranking seventh on the all-time list in that category while his home runs in a career is sixth all-time as well. His 117 career hits still ranks him 11th all-time in the YSU baseball record book while his .323 career batting average is 10th on the all-time list also.
With the power that he had, and his free swinging nature. of course strikeouts are going to happen so on the reverse side of the coin his 58 strikeouts for a career still ranks him third in that category, however, his 63 total bases in a season (11th), 362 career at-bats (11th) and 117 career bases on balls (19th) keeps his name alive in the all-time record book.
Upon graduation from YSU, he worked as a Foreman for one year at the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, returning to YSU for his teaching certificate, using that to teach business in high school for 10 years in both Florida and Youngstown while coaching baseball, football and basketball.
He received his Master's in Secondary Principalship from YSU, and since 1984. has been in the business sector, the past six years serving as a computer salesman with Connecting Point/Computer World, a Canton, Ohio, based company.
He is still active in the local Class "AA" League where the ball still jumps off his bat and out of the park (he also coaches both football and baseball on the youth level in Poland). has participated in the Men's Senior Baseball World Series the last five years (three in Arizona, and one each in Louisiana and Florida) while participating in a Pittsburgh-based league in Butler, Pa., for men over 30 years of age.
Married to the former Jeannie Grant, they have three children, Matthew (17), Lindsey (15) and Adam (12) and currently reside in Poland.
