Lennie Merullo (1941-1947) was the no-hit, no-field starting shortstop for the Cubs in the 1940s. Merullo averaged an error every three and half games or so (172 errors in 602 games), a home run every 345 at-bats (6 in 2071), and he had a lifetime average of .240.

He may not have been a very good player, but Lennie Merullo showed plenty of spunk. He was known for his hot temper and his tendency to talk with his fists. Two of those incidents have become part of Cubs lore.

One time he fought former Cub Eddie Stanky, leading to a benches clearing brawl. While Stanky and Merullo punched each other repeatedly, Cubs pitcher Claude Passeau attacked the most hated man in baseball, Leo Durocher—-tearing off his shirt in the process. (Leo would become the manager of the Cubs in the 1960s.)

The day after the Stanky/Durocher beating, Lenny and Phil Cavaretta attacked Dixie Walker before the game, and had to be pulled off by the police. Walker lost a tooth and chipped another. Merullo got an eight game suspension.

He retired after the 1947 season.