Steve Scafa

Stephen Michael Scafa

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.
• School St. John's University

• Born December 22, 1959

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Steve Scafa played one season in the minor leagues, hitting .229/.462/.305 in 54 games for the Oneonta Yankees of the New York-Penn League in 1981. He had been a 22nd round pick of the New York Yankees in the 1981 amateur draft and was Oneonta's regular second baseman (fielding .976) his one season in organized baseball. He had excellent speed, stealing 28 bases in 29 attempts and drew 53 walks in 54 games, scoring 46 runs. He finished third in the NYPL in both walks and steals.

However, he is best remembered for his role in what has been called the greatest pitching duel in college baseball history. On May 21, 1981, Yale University's Ron Darling faced off against St. John's University's Frank Viola in a fabulous pitching duel. With the game scoreless in the 12th, Scafa got the first hit allowed by Darling, who had struck out 16 batters up to that point, a single to the opposite field. He then stole second and third base, and after the next batter reached on an error, stole home on the back-end of a double steal. It was the game's only run. Darling and Viola both went on to successful pitching careers in the major leagues in the 1980s, but Scafa's 15 minutes of fame were up.