 |
 |
Darragh Dean Stone
Washington Nationals
Pitcher
Born: September 1, 1930, Moline, IL
Signed: Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams: Washington Senators 1953-1957; Boston Red Sox 1957; St. Louis Cardinals 1959; Houston Colt .45s 1962; Chicago White Sox 1962; Baltimore Orioles 1963
Died: August 21, 2018, East Moline, IL (age 87)
Dean Stone was the winning pitcher in the 1954 All-Star Game, without retiring a batter. With the A.L. All-Stars trailing 9-8 with two outs in the eighth inning, Stone relieved Bob Keegan (#54) with runners on first and third. Red Schoendienst (#165), the runner on third, broke for home as Stone was facing Duke Snider (#150). Stone threw home to catcher Yogi Berra (#110) to catch Schoendienst. In the ninth inning, the A.L. took the lead for good on a Larry Doby (#250) home run and Stone was credited with the win.
Stone pitched in parts of eight seasons, having his most success in 1954 when he won 12 games with an ERA of 3.22. He threw two no-hitters in 1952 pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts. He owned a career record of 29-39 over 215 games (85 starts) and a 4.47 ERA. Following his big league career, he pitched briefly for the Taiyo Whales in Japan in 1964.
October 3, 1988 in Millville, NJ - Card #67
This was one of three 1956 Topps cards my parents gave me for my 15th birthday, the others being Ray Moore (#43) and Jake Martin (#129). I'm 95% certain my Dad purchased these cards at a baseball card show held at our local YMCA in August and then gave them to me a few months later. I have in my records that this card cost him $3. I was more focused on building our 1973 Topps set in the summer of '88, as those cards were more readily available and much cheaper. My allowance from mowing lawns only went so far.
We didn't get autographs from either of the show's guests, Spook Jacobs or Chris Short. I'm kicking myself now, over 30 years later, for not spending the $2 it would have cost me for an autograph and a picture with Short. I showed the front of the show's flyer with the Moore post, and presented here is the back of the flyer with pre-Google Maps directions to the Millville YMCA.
I worked at the Millville YMCA in the summer of 1990 before it closed its doors for good that August. In 1997, the building was repurposed as an apartment complex with the pool and gym renovated and updated and it's now operated as The Holly City Family Center.
The Card
The main photo is the same used for Stone's 1954 and 1955 Topps cards, the only difference being the W on his hat is white in 1954 and red the next two years. Per Baseball Reference and a few other sources, Stone's first name is spelled "Darragh" and not "Darrah" as it appears on the back of his card. Stone's 84 strikeouts in 1955 did in fact lead the Senators, beating out Camilo Pascual (#98) who had 79.
Nationals Team Set
1956 Season
He was back with the Senators in a relief role to start the 1957 season, but was traded to the Red Sox on April 29th.
|
|
|
|
|
First Mainstream Card: 1954 Topps #114
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1954-1957, 1959, 1962-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2012 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-DST
21 - Stone non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/4/20.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year. Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.
Previous Card / Next Card
Order Collected: #43 Ray Moore - Baltimore Orioles / #129 "Jake" Martin - Pittsburgh Pirates
Not to nitpick here, but how did an American League pitcher, throw to a National League catcher to tag out a National League runner at the plate? I don't believe that Campanella was catching at that moment in the game.
ReplyDeleteGood catch! (See what I did there?)
ReplyDeleteI fixed it. I must have had Campy on the brain when looking through the box score.