John Stone (baseball)
Encyclopedia
John Thomas Stone nicknamed "Rocky," was an outfielder
in Major League Baseball
who played eleven seasons with the Detroit Tigers
(1928–1933) and Washington Senators
(1934–1938). Stone hit over .300 seven times in his career and had a career batting average of .310.
Stone played baseball for the Maryville College
Fighting Scots in his home state of Tennessee from 1925-1928. The Fighting Scots were 15-2 in Stone's senior year. Stone signed with the Detroit Tigers
and after a short stint in the minor leagues at Evansville, he appeared in his first Major League game on August 31, 1928, just a few months after leaving college. In his first partial season, Stone hit an impressive .354 in 26 games with 15 extra base hits and a .549 slugging percentage.
In his second season (1929), Stone's batting average dropped 94 points to .260, but he returned to solid hitting in 1930 with a .311 batting average and a .452 slugging percentage. During July and August 1930, Stone had a 27-game hitting streak. Only five Detroit Tigers
(Ty Cobb
, Goose Goslin
, Ron LeFlore
, Dale Alexander
, and Pete Fox
) have had longer hitting streaks.
Stone's fourth big league season in 1931 was his best. His .327 batting average was 10th best in the American League. He led the league in singles (142) and was also among the league leaders in hits (191), triples (11), and stolen bases (13). Stone was also 16th in the American League's Most Valuable Player voting for 1931.
In 1932, Stone continued as one of the top batters in the league, with 64 extra base hits, 108 RBIs and a .486 slugging percentage. He was 9th in the AL in total bases with 283 and among the Top 10 in triples, home runs and RBIs.
On May 30, 1933, Stone became the first major leaguer to collect six extra base hits in a regulation length doubleheader‚ as he collected four doubles and two home runs against the St. Louis Browns.
After a 1933 season with 55 extra base hit
s and a .434 slugging percentage, Stone was traded to the Washington Senators
. Stone was so highly regarded that the Senators sent Hall of Fame outfielder Goose Goslin
to the Tigers in an even trade for Stone. Goslin went on to help the Tigers win back-to-back pennants in 1934 and 1935, while the Senators dropped from 1st place to seventh place in 1934.
Stone died in 1955 at age 50 in Shelbyville, Tennessee
. He was buried at the Odd Fellows-Masonic Cemetery in Lynchburg, Tennessee
.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played eleven seasons with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1928–1933) and Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1934–1938). Stone hit over .300 seven times in his career and had a career batting average of .310.
Stone played baseball for the Maryville College
Maryville College
Maryville College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Maryville, Tennessee, near Knoxville. It was founded in 1819 by Presbyterian minister Isaac L. Anderson for the purpose of furthering education and enlightenment into the West. The College is one of the fifty oldest colleges in the...
Fighting Scots in his home state of Tennessee from 1925-1928. The Fighting Scots were 15-2 in Stone's senior year. Stone signed with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and after a short stint in the minor leagues at Evansville, he appeared in his first Major League game on August 31, 1928, just a few months after leaving college. In his first partial season, Stone hit an impressive .354 in 26 games with 15 extra base hits and a .549 slugging percentage.
In his second season (1929), Stone's batting average dropped 94 points to .260, but he returned to solid hitting in 1930 with a .311 batting average and a .452 slugging percentage. During July and August 1930, Stone had a 27-game hitting streak. Only five Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
, Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
, Ron LeFlore
Ron LeFlore
Ronald LeFlore is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played six seasons with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Montreal Expos, retiring as a Chicago White Sox in . He stole 455 bases in his career, and was an American League All-Star selection in 1976...
, Dale Alexander
Dale Alexander
David Dale Alexander , nicknamed "Moose," was a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox . Dale "Moose" Alexander was a big 6 foot, 3 inch, 210 first baseman...
, and Pete Fox
Pete Fox
Ervin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
) have had longer hitting streaks.
Stone's fourth big league season in 1931 was his best. His .327 batting average was 10th best in the American League. He led the league in singles (142) and was also among the league leaders in hits (191), triples (11), and stolen bases (13). Stone was also 16th in the American League's Most Valuable Player voting for 1931.
In 1932, Stone continued as one of the top batters in the league, with 64 extra base hits, 108 RBIs and a .486 slugging percentage. He was 9th in the AL in total bases with 283 and among the Top 10 in triples, home runs and RBIs.
On May 30, 1933, Stone became the first major leaguer to collect six extra base hits in a regulation length doubleheader‚ as he collected four doubles and two home runs against the St. Louis Browns.
After a 1933 season with 55 extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
s and a .434 slugging percentage, Stone was traded to the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Stone was so highly regarded that the Senators sent Hall of Fame outfielder Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
to the Tigers in an even trade for Stone. Goslin went on to help the Tigers win back-to-back pennants in 1934 and 1935, while the Senators dropped from 1st place to seventh place in 1934.
Stone died in 1955 at age 50 in Shelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville, Tennessee
Shelbyville is a city in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. It had a local population of 16,105 residents at the 2000 census. Shelbyville, the county seat of Bedford County, was laid out in 1810 and incorporated in 1819...
. He was buried at the Odd Fellows-Masonic Cemetery in Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg, Tennessee
Lynchburg is a city in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is governed by a consolidated city-county government unit whose boundaries coincide with those of Moore County. Lynchburg is best known as the location of the Jack Daniel's distillery, whose famous whiskey is...
.