Dean Stone

Darrah Dean Stone

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 205 lb.
• High School United Township High School
• Debut September 13, 1953
• Final Game June 21, 1963
• Born September 1, 1930 in Moline, IL USA
• Died August 21, 2018 in East Moline, IL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Left-handed pitcher Dean Stone was signed as an amateur free agent by the Chicago Cubs before the 1949 season. After appearing in one game for the Class C Clinton Steers of the Central Association he was released by the Cubs in May of 1949 and signed as a free agent with the Washington Senators in June of that same year. Stone finished out his first season with the class D Orlando Senators of the Florida State League where he went 1-4 with a 5.77 ERA.

Dean had his best minor league season in 1952 with the class B Charlotte Hornets going 17-10 with a 3.16 ERA. Stone threw two no-hitters that season, helping his team to a second-place finish with a 8-0 white-washing of the league-winning Gastonia Rockets during the regular season, and leading his teammates to the Tri-State League playoff title by setting down the Anderson Rebels, 5-0, in the league playoffs.

Dean first appeared in three games for the Senators in 1953, going 0-1 and spending the rest of the year with the Chattanooga Lookouts where he went 8-10 for the sixth-place Southern Association team. The following year, 1954, in his first full season in the major leagues, he went 12-10 with a 3.22 ERA and was selected to play in the 1954 All-Star Game as a rookie. He entered the wild affair, played at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium on July 13th, in the top of the 8th inning with two out and the National League leading, 9-8. He did not face any batter as Red Schoendienst was tagged out at the plate when he attempted to steal home. NL coaches Leo Durocher and Charlie Grimm came out to argue that Dean had made a quick pitch and committed a balk, but home plate umpire Bill Stewart wouldn't budge. The American League rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning and Stone was credited with the 11-9 victory while Virgil Trucks pitched the 9th. The myth has since been inflated to claim that Stone only threw one pitch, but in fact, Schoendienst made his dash for home on his third offering to Duke Snider.

Stone's 1954 season would be his best in an eight-year career that ended in 1963. He exited with a record of 29-39 and a 4.47 ERA after pitching for the Boston Red Sox in 1957, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1959, the Houston Colt .45's in 1962, the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and the Baltimore Orioles in 1963. Dean had also spent ten up-and-down years in the minors, building a 84-66 record with a career 3.57 ERA. He took leave from the game at age 32.

Stone, who also pitched for a time in Japan, retired in his hometown of Moline, Illinois, where he had a landscaping business. He died nearby in 2018 at the age of 88.

Notable Achievements

• AL All-Star (1954)

Related Sites

• Dean Stone at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page