Bryan Stephens

Bryan Maris Stephens

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 175 lb.
• Debut May 15, 1947
• Final Game September 26, 1948
• Born July 14, 1920 in Fayetteville, AR USA
• Died November 21, 1991 in Santa Ana, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Arkansas native Bryan Stephens spent nine active seasons in professional baseball from 1939 to 1950. The young right-hander became affiliated with the Detroit Tigers organization and started his minor league run with the Henderson Oilers of the class C East Texas League in 1939. He pitched well for an 18 year old, going 11-10 with a 3.40 ERA in 204 innings, and was granted free agency on January 14, 1940.

Stephens signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians in March 1940, and spent the season with the Charleston Senators of the class C Middle Atlantic League, going 9-10 with a 3.30 ERA in 25 games. Bryan spent the 1941 year with the Tacoma Tigers of the class B Western International League and the Cedar Rapids Raiders of the class B Three-I League and wound up with almost a duplicate of the prior year, when he went 9-10 again in 26 games.

The slender right-hander was back with the Cedar Rapids team in 1942 and had his career season, leading the Three-I League with a 20-4 record and a 3.86 ERA, boosting his team to the league championship and playoff title. At about this time Stephens was drafted into the United States Army and spent three years of his baseball run (1943-1945) with the United States Army during World War II.

On his return from Military Service Stephens was sent to the Pacific Coast League, appearing in 29 outings, and picked up 10 wins along with 9 losses and a 3.40 ERA for the Oakland Oaks club in 1946. Stephens next stop would be at the Cleveland Municipal Stadium with the Indians and he faltered somewhat , winning just 5 times and losing 10 while appearing in 31 games. Seasons like this usually cause something to happen and it did. On November 20, 1947 he was traded by the Indians along with Joe Frazier, Dick Kokos and $25,000 to the St. Louis Browns for Wally Judnich and Bob Muncrief.

The right-hander would spend the entire 1948 big league season with St. Louis Browns, who were destined to finish in the American League sixth spot with a 57-94 record. Stephens wound up the year at 3-6 with a 6.02 ERA in 43 appearances. He pitched his last game for the Browns, and in the major leagues on September 26, 1948. This finished Stephens run in the show with a two year performance of 8-16 and a 5.16 ERA.

Stephens spent two more seasons in pro baseball, all below par or worse. In 1949 with the Baltimore Orioles (IL) of the International League and the Los Angeles Angels (PCL) of the Pacific Coast League he went 7-16 with a 5.37 ERA in 28 games. He tried the same act again in 1950, got out of it with no wins or losses in 12 appearances, and decided to call it a career. This gave the 29 year old a 66-59 minor league record while appearing in 190 contests, pitching 1,020.1 innings.

After baseball Bryan Maris Stephens took up residence in Santa Ana, CA where he worked for 35 years for the Los Angeles Times newspaper as a plate maker until his retirement. He died of Kidney Cancer on November 21, 1991 at 71 years of age.