Lauri Pihkala
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 January 1888 Pihtipudas, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire |
| Died | 20 May 1981 (aged 93) Helsinki, Finland |
| Height | 179 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 79 kg (174 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | 800 m, high jump, discus throw |
| Club | HKV, Helsinki |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 800 m – 1:58.1 (1911) HJ – 1.75 m (1909) DT – 31.40 m (1906) |
Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala (born Gummerus, 5 January 1888 – 20 May 1981) was the inventor of pesäpallo, the Finnish variant of baseball. He was born in the vicarage of Pihtipudas, the son of the minister Alexander Gummerus. In 1969 he became one of the first persons to receive an honorary doctorate in Sport Sciences from the University of Jyväskylä, together with president Urho Kekkonen and Professor Kaarina Kari.