Kroll, a native of
Culver City, California, graduated from
Reseda High School and attended
Brigham Young University and
Los Angeles Pierce College. Kroll signed with the Phillies in 1959 and spent 5 seasons in their
farm system, before his MLB debut, on July 26, 1964. After only two appearances, he was traded to the Mets for veteran
first baseman Frank Thomas on August 7. As a
rookie pitcher in , Kroll committed a league-leading four
balks in just ten games and 24
innings pitched. In his only full year in the majors, , Kroll worked in 32 games for the Mets, including 11
starting assignments. He won six games and lost six, recorded his only MLB
complete game (a
four-hit, 7–1 victory over the
San Francisco Giants on April 18), and his only
save (on July 25 against the Phillies). Kroll finished his big league career with six wins, seven defeats, and an
earned run average (ERA) of 4.24. In 159 innings pitched, he surrendered 147 hits, yielded 91
walks, and recorded 138
strikeouts. After his retirement from pitching professionally in 1971, Kroll settled in
Tulsa, Oklahoma, with his wife, Barbara, and five children. The Krolls have five grandchildren. ==References==