Eugene Rudolph Rye [Half-Pint] (November 15, 1906 – January 21, 1980) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Boston Red Sox during the 1931 season. Listed at 5'6", 165 lb., Rye batted left-handed and threw right-handed. His birth name was Eugene Rudolph Mercantelli, the son of Amedeo Menotti Mercantelli (1866-1950) and Daria "Dora" Frediani (1867-1920). He was born in Chicago, Illinois. Rye married Julia Swentko on October 28, 1950. When Rye was 29 years old he finished his professional baseball career after his 1936 season.