American baseball player and executive (born 1944)
Baseball player
William Hambly Stoneman III
(born April 7, 1944) is an American former
professional baseball
player and executive who, during his eight-year (
1967
?
1974
)
pitching
career in
Major League Baseball
, threw two
no-hitters
; then, as
general manager
of the
Anaheim Angels
(
1999
?
2007
), presided over the franchise's first-ever
World Series
championship in
2002
. He later served briefly as the Angels' interim general manager from July 1 to October 4 of
2015
.
Stoneman was born in
Oak Park, Illinois
, and graduated from
West Covina High School
in
Southern California
in 1962.
Amateur career
[
edit
]
A right-handed pitcher, Stoneman spent a year at
Mt. San Antonio College
in
Walnut
, then transferred to the
University of Idaho
to play
college baseball
for the
Idaho Vandals
,
[1]
and helped the
Vandals
win the inaugural
Big Sky
title in 1964 as a sophomore.
[2]
When Stoneman was a junior, the Vandals were 17–13 and he was 5–3 with a 1.80
earned run average
(ERA) and averaged 1.5 strikeouts per inning.
[3]
As a senior in 1966, Stoneman was 6?2 with a 0.45 ERA in the regular season, and the Vandals won the Big Sky again with a 31?7 (.816) record in the regular season. Invited to the
NCAA playoffs
for the first time, Idaho eliminated
Colorado State College
(now Northern Colorado) and
Air Force
on the road in
Greeley, Colorado
.
[4]
The Vandals were one step from the
College World Series
in Omaha, but lost to
Arizona
in
Tucson
in the
District 7 finals
, today's "Super-Regionals" (Sweet 16).
[5]
[6]
Idaho ended their best-ever season at
34?9 (.791).
[7]
Stoneman received his
bachelor's degree
from the
University of Idaho
in 1966, and a
master's degree
from the
University of Oklahoma
.
[8]
While at Idaho, he was an active member of
Beta Theta Pi
fraternity
.
[9]
[10]
Professional career
[
edit
]
The
Chicago Cubs
selected Stoneman in the 31st round of the
1966 Major League Baseball draft
with the 595th overall selection. After signing, Stoneman pitched at three
minor-league
classifications in 1966, with
Rookie-level
Caldwell
,
Single-A
Lodi
, and
Double-A
Dallas-Fort Worth
. He started 1967 in Double-A and, after five games pitched, moved to
Triple-A
Tacoma
.
The
Cubs
called up Stoneman to the major leagues in mid-season of 1967. He debuted as a
starting pitcher
with back-to-back assignments against the
San Francisco Giants
on July 16 and 21, allowing three total
runs
in 9
2
⁄
3
innings but gaining no
decisions
, although the Cubs won both games.
[11]
Manager
Leo Durocher
then shifted Stoneman to the
bullpen
, where he made 26 appearances as a
relief pitcher
. He ended his rookie
MLB
campaign with a 3.29
earned run average
, four
saves
and 52
strikeouts
in 63
innings pitched
. But he was less effective in
1968
, with his ERA climbing to 5.52 in only 29
1
⁄
3
innings of work, and spent part of the season back at Triple-A Tacoma.
In the
expansion draft
of October 1968, Stoneman was selected by the
Montreal Expos
, where he spent five seasons and became a full-time starter for manager
Gene Mauch
.
[12]
He threw his two no-hitters with the Expos: the first against the
Philadelphia Phillies
at
Connie Mack Stadium
on April 17, 1969. It was Stoneman's fifth major league start and only the ninth game of the franchise's existence; he had eight strikeouts and five walks.
[8]
[12]
[13]
[14]
The second came at the end of the 1972 season on October 2, when he defeated the
New York Mets
in Montreal at
Jarry Park
, caught by
Tim McCarver
.
[15]
[16]
[17]
The latter was the first major league no-hitter in Canada, and both were 7?0 scores. The second included nine strikeouts and seven walks. Stoneman also threw a one-hitter at home in 1971 against the
San Diego Padres
, a well-attended 2?0 win on Helmet Night on Wednesday, June 16. In perhaps the best outing of his career, Stoneman struck out 14 and allowed just one base on balls. The only hit came with one out in the seventh inning, a clean single to right field off the bat of
Cito Gaston
, which was the Padres' only well-struck ball of the night.
[18]
He was named to the
National League All-Star Team
in
1972
and pitched two innings in relief with two strikeouts.
[19]
[20]
[21]
At 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall and 170 lb (77 kg), Stoneman was a workhorse who over four consecutive seasons (
1969
?
1972
) logged more than 200
innings pitched
. He
struck out
251 in 295 innings in
1971
, with a 17?16 record and a 3.15 ERA for non-contending
Montreal
(71?90 (.441)). That season, Stoneman also finished third in strikeouts in the National League, behind
Tom Seaver
(289) and
Ferguson Jenkins
(263), and his 39 starts tied for the league-high with Jenkins. He also had 20 complete games in 1971, tied for third with
Bob Gibson
.
[22]
His career was shortened by an arm injury in
1973
: his
earned run average
ballooned from 2.98 in
1972
to 6.80 (
1973
), then 6.10 (
1974
), for a record of only 5?16 in that span.
Overall, Stoneman won 54 games and lost 85 (.388), with an ERA of 4.08 in 245 appearances. For his career he had 169 starts, 45 complete games, and 934 strikeouts in 1,236
1
⁄
3
innings.
As a batter, Stoneman holds the record with most consecutive games played with at least one strikeout. From April 30, 1971, to April 21, 1972, Stoneman played in 37 consecutive games with at least one strikeout in an at bat.
[23]
He was left in to bat in the
1972 All-Star Game
against
Gaylord Perry
, where, he struck out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
[20]
In 338 regular season at bats, Stoneman struck out 212 times and compiled a career batting average of .086 with 25 singles, 4 extra-base hits (all doubles), and 23 walks. Despite that strikeout streak, his best season batting average was .129 in 1971. The strikeout streak record was tied by
New York Yankees
outfielder
Aaron Judge
in 2017.
[24]
Front office career
[
edit
]
After his playing career ended, Stoneman worked in banking in Canada, then joined the Montreal Expos' front office in November 1983, starting out in player relations.
[25]
He became the team's vice president of business operations in September 1984,
[26]
and later served as the club's general manager in 1987 and 1988.
Returning to Southern California, Stoneman became general manager of the Angels after the
1999
season. He hired
Mike Scioscia
as the club's
manager
and presided over its
2002
American League
title and
World Series championship
? the first
pennant
and World Series championship in the club's 42-year history to that point. He remained in office through the Angels' ownership transition from the
Walt Disney Company
to
Arturo Moreno
. During his tenure, the team also won
American League West Division
titles in
2004
,
2005
and
2007
. Stoneman stepped down as GM following the 2007 season.
On July 1, 2015, Angels general manager
Jerry DiPoto
resigned following a power struggle with manager
Mike Scioscia
. Stoneman was brought in as interim GM while the team looked for a full-time replacement.
[27]
Billy Eppler
was hired as the full-time replacement on October 4, 2015.
[28]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Idaho Vandals to compete in two baseball leagues"
.
Lewiston Morning Tribune
. (Idaho). December 9, 1963. p. 7.
- ^
"Baseball: 1964 season"
. Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1964. p. 277.
- ^
"Baseball: 1965 season"
. Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1965. p. 277.
- ^
Tri-City Herald
[
permanent dead link
]
? Arizonans next on Idaho list in bid for nationals ? 1966-06-02 ? p.19
- ^
"Arizona downs Idaho 3?2, Vandals victims of one-hitter"
.
Lewiston Morning Tribune
. (Idaho). June 4, 1966. p. 8.
- ^
"Arizona Wildcats defeat Vandals"
.
Lewiston Morning Tribune
. (Idaho). June 5, 1966. p. 10.
- ^
"Baseball: 1966 season"
. Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1966. p. 202.
- ^
a
b
"Ex-Vandal hurls no-hitter; Bill Stoneman stops Phils"
.
Spokesman-Review
. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 18, 1969. p. 24.
- ^
"Beta Theta Pi"
. Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1965. p. 333
. Retrieved
March 26,
2013
.
- ^
"Beta Theta Pi"
. Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1966. p. 295
. Retrieved
August 16,
2012
.
- ^
Retrosheet
:
1967 pitching log
- ^
a
b
"Stoneman hurls 1st no-hit game of 1969 season"
.
Milwaukee Journal
. Associated Press. April 18, 1969. p. 17.
- ^
Blackman, Ted (April 18, 1969).
"Stoneman no-hits Philadelphia"
.
Montreal Gazette
. p. 1.
- ^
Associated Press
(1969-04-18).
"Stoneman of Expos Hurls No-Hitter to Beat Phils, 7-0"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
2009-08-28
.
- ^
MacDonald, Ian (October 3, 1972).
"Stoneman repeats his no-hit gem"
.
Montreal Gazette
. p. 27.
- ^
"Expos' Bill Stoneman no-hits New York Mets"
.
Spokesman-Review
. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 3, 1972. p. 16.
- ^
"Pattern close as Stoneman hurls no-no"
.
Spokane Daily Chronicle
. (Washington). Associated Press. October 3, 1972. p. 19.
- ^
MacDonald, Ian (June 17, 1971).
"A one-hitter for Stoneman"
.
Montreal Gazette
. p. 15.
- ^
Snyder, Brodie (July 25, 1972).
"Stoneman will play ? Murtaugh"
.
Montreal Gazette
. p. 11.
- ^
a
b
Snyder, Brodie (July 26, 1972).
"NL wins ? Stony off hook"
.
Montreal Gazette
. p. 29.
- ^
Feeney, Charley (July 26, 1972).
"Morgan continues tough, beats AL, 4-3"
.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
. p. 22.
- ^
"1971 National League Pitching Leaders"
.
Baseball Reference
. Retrieved
April 20,
2013
.
- ^
Maldre, Matt (May 15, 2011).
"Top ten longest strikeout streaks"
.
57hits.com
. Retrieved
May 15,
2011
.
- ^
"Judge whiffs again, extends streak to 37 games"
.
Espn.com
. Retrieved
18 May
2018
.
- ^
MacDonald, Ian (November 15, 1983).
"Expos hire Bill Stoneman to handle player relations"
.
Montreal Gazette
. p. F-1.
- ^
"Expos name Bill Stoneman vice president"
.
Tuscaloosa News
. Alabama. wire services. September 10, 1984. p. 17.
- ^
DiGiovanna, Mike.
"Bill Stoneman is in it for short haul with Angels"
.
latimes.com
. Retrieved
18 May
2018
.
- ^
"Angels hire Yanks assistant GM Billy Eppler as general manager"
. Associated Press. October 4, 2015
. Retrieved
October 5,
2015
.
External links
[
edit
]
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Montreal Expos (1969?2004)
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Washington Nationals (2005?present)
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