Toni Stone
Encyclopedia
Toni Stone also known by her married name Marcenia Lyle Alberga, was the first of three women to play Negro league baseball
.
Toni Stone graduated from Roosevelt High School
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She married Aurelious Alberga, a man forty years her elder and one of the many people who didn’t want her playing baseball. She had always been referred to as a “Tomboy” growing up and consequently received the nickname “Toni” because it sounded like “Tomboy”. She enjoyed the name and eventually adopted it as her own.”‘I loved my trousers. I love cars. Most of all I loved to ride horses with no saddles. I wasn’t classified. People weren’t ready for me,” she said.
. She moved on to play for the Girl’s Highlex Softball Club in Saint Paul, Minnesota
. By the age of fifteen, Toni Stone played for the St. Paul Giants, a men’s semi-professional team. Stone soon began playing on Al Love’s American Legion championship team.
She began her professional career with the San Francisco Sea Lions (1949), where she batted in two runs in her first time up. Toni soon became discontented with the owner of the Sea Lions after she did not receive the pay she had been promised. She quit the team and joined the Black Pelicans of New Orleans. After a short stint with the Black Pelicans, Stone joined the New Orleans Creoles (1949–1952). She was signed by Syd Pollack, owner of the Indianapolis Clowns
, in 1953 to play second base, the position Hank Aaron played for the team two years earlier. She did this as part of a publicity stunt. The Clowns were compared to the Harlem Globetrotters
of the basketball world, so having a woman on the team attracted more fans. During the fifty games that Stone played for the Clowns, she maintained a .243 batting average, and one of her hits was off the legendary Satchel Paige
. All of these accomplishments may make her “one of the best players you have never heard of,” according to the NLBPA website. Stone's contract was sold to the Kansas City Monarchs
prior to the 1954 season, and she retired following the season because of lack of playing time.
After the 1954 season, Stone moved to Oakland, California
to work as a nurse and care for her sick husband who later died in 1987 at age 103. Toni died on November 2, 1996 at a nursing home in Alameda, California
. She was 75 years old.
Even though she was part of the team, she wasn’t allowed in the locker room. If she was lucky, she would be allowed to change in the umpire’s locker room. Once, Stone was asked to wear a skirt while playing for sex appeal, but she wouldn’t do it. Even though she felt like she was “one of the guys,” the people around her didn’t. While playing for the Kansas City Monarchs, she spent most the game on the bench, next to the men who hated her. “It was hell,” she said.
declared March 6 “Toni Stone Day.” Saint Paul also has a field named after Toni Stone located at the Dunning Baseball Complex.
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
.
Toni Stone graduated from Roosevelt High School
Roosevelt High School (Minneapolis)
Roosevelt High School is a public school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is part of the Minneapolis Public Schools. The school is named after US President Theodore Roosevelt...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She married Aurelious Alberga, a man forty years her elder and one of the many people who didn’t want her playing baseball. She had always been referred to as a “Tomboy” growing up and consequently received the nickname “Toni” because it sounded like “Tomboy”. She enjoyed the name and eventually adopted it as her own.”‘I loved my trousers. I love cars. Most of all I loved to ride horses with no saddles. I wasn’t classified. People weren’t ready for me,” she said.
Career
Toni Stone’s playing career began when she was only ten years old when she participated in a Catholic Midget League, which is similar to today’s Little LeagueLittle League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
. She moved on to play for the Girl’s Highlex Softball Club in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. By the age of fifteen, Toni Stone played for the St. Paul Giants, a men’s semi-professional team. Stone soon began playing on Al Love’s American Legion championship team.
She began her professional career with the San Francisco Sea Lions (1949), where she batted in two runs in her first time up. Toni soon became discontented with the owner of the Sea Lions after she did not receive the pay she had been promised. She quit the team and joined the Black Pelicans of New Orleans. After a short stint with the Black Pelicans, Stone joined the New Orleans Creoles (1949–1952). She was signed by Syd Pollack, owner of the Indianapolis Clowns
Indianapolis Clowns
The Indianapolis Clowns were a professional baseball team in the Negro American League.- Founding :They began operation in Cincinnati in , and operated between Cincinnati and Indianapolis in 1944 and 1945 before officially moving in...
, in 1953 to play second base, the position Hank Aaron played for the team two years earlier. She did this as part of a publicity stunt. The Clowns were compared to the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
of the basketball world, so having a woman on the team attracted more fans. During the fifty games that Stone played for the Clowns, she maintained a .243 batting average, and one of her hits was off the legendary Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige
Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige was an American baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball made him a legend in his own lifetime...
. All of these accomplishments may make her “one of the best players you have never heard of,” according to the NLBPA website. Stone's contract was sold to the Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
prior to the 1954 season, and she retired following the season because of lack of playing time.
After the 1954 season, Stone moved to Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
to work as a nurse and care for her sick husband who later died in 1987 at age 103. Toni died on November 2, 1996 at a nursing home in Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
. She was 75 years old.
Struggles
Stone was the first female player in the Negro Leagues, and she was not met with open arms. Most of the men shunned her and gave her a hard time because she was a woman. Stone was quite proud of the fact that the male players were out to get her. She would show off the scars on her left wrist and remember the time she had been spiked by a runner trying to take out the woman standing on second base. ‘He was out,’ she recalled.Even though she was part of the team, she wasn’t allowed in the locker room. If she was lucky, she would be allowed to change in the umpire’s locker room. Once, Stone was asked to wear a skirt while playing for sex appeal, but she wouldn’t do it. Even though she felt like she was “one of the guys,” the people around her didn’t. While playing for the Kansas City Monarchs, she spent most the game on the bench, next to the men who hated her. “It was hell,” she said.
Awards
Toni Stone became one of the first women to play as a regular on a big-league professional team in 1953. In 1985 Stone was inducted into the Women’s Sports Foundation’s International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 1990 she was included in two exhibits at the Baseball Hall of Fame, one on “Women in Baseball” and another on “Negro League Baseball”. In 1993 Stone was inducted into the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the Sudafed International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 1990, Stone’s hometown of Saint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
declared March 6 “Toni Stone Day.” Saint Paul also has a field named after Toni Stone located at the Dunning Baseball Complex.