Dean Stone
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Darrah Dean Stone (born September 1, 1930 in Moline, Illinois) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'4", 205 lb. left-hander was signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent before the 1949 season. He played for the Washington Senators (1953-1957), Boston Red Sox (1957), St. Louis Cardinals (1959), Houston Colt .45s (1962), Chicago White Sox (1962), and Baltimore Orioles (1963).
Stone is perhaps best-known for being the winning pitcher of the 1954 All-Star Game without retiring a single batter. This took place at Cleveland Stadium on July 13. He entered the game with two out in the top of the 8th to face Duke Snider, with the American League behind, 9-8. Red Schoendienst, the baserunner on third, tried to steal home and Stone threw him out at the plate. The A.L. then scored three runs in the bottom of the 8th and won the game 11-9, as Virgil Trucks hurled a scoreless 9th inning to save it.
After having pitched two minor league no-hitters in 1952 and going 8-10 with a 3.33 ERA for the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern Association in 1953, he reached the big leagues. His first appearance was in relief against the Detroit Tigers on September 13, 1953. He would go on to pitch the majority of his games (60%) in relief at the major league level.
In Stone's 8-year career, 1954 stands out as his best season. He won a career-high 12 games, lost 10, had an earned run average of 3.22, and it was his only season as an All-Star. In his other seven years, he had a combined record of 17-29 with a 4.91 ERA.
Stone provided some immediate pitching help for the expansion Houston Colt .45s of 1962. He pitched a three-hit shutout against the Chicago Cubs in Houston's third game (April 12), then another shutout against the Cubs one week later, giving the Colts a 5-3 record. He pitched ineffectively for Houston after that, and he was traded to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Russ Kemmerer on June 22. The Baltimore Orioles acquired Stone during the off-season, and he made his last major league appearance on June 21, 1963.
Career totals include a record of 29-39 in 215 games pitched, 85 games started, 19 complete games, 5 shutouts, 52 games finished, 12 saves, and an ERA of 4.47. In 686 innings he struck out 380 and walked 373. He had a batting average of .088 in 170 at bats with one home run.
[edit] Trivia
- Stone led Middle Atlantic League pitchers with 158 bases on balls (in 145 innings) while playing for the Erie Sailors in 1951.
- He ranked third in the American League with 114 bases on balls (in 180 innings) in 1955.
[edit] Reference
- 1955 Baseball Register published by The Sporting News
