Ex-BC coach Pellagrini dies

Eddie Pellagrini, a major league infielder for eight years before coaching baseball at Boston College for more than 30 seasons, died yesterday, according to a spokesman for the Boston Red Sox. He was 88.

Pellagrini began his big league career with the Red Sox in 1946, when they won the AL pennant. He spent two years with the Sox, then played two years with the St. Louis Browns, one each with the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds, and two with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In eight seasons, he batted .226 with 20 homers and 133 RBIs in 563 games.

He took over as BC's baseball coach in 1957 and won 359 games before stepping down in 1988. The baseball diamond at BC later was named for Pellagrini.

Red Sox spokesman John Blake said Pellagrini died yesterday, but no other information was immediately available from the family.