Vern Stephens
For five seasons with the Red Sox, Vern Stephens teamed with
Ted Williams to form baseball's most productive slugging tandem. The fact that Stephens was a shortstop with a strong arm was a fortunate bonus. A seven-time All-Star, Stephens came up with the lowly Browns, but behind his league-leading homer and RBI totals in 1944, the team won their only pennant. After the age of 31, injuries kept Stephens out of the lineup most of the time and denied him the milestone homer and RBI totals that might have gained him more Hall of Fame consideration.
Played For
St. Louis Browns (1941-1947)
Boston Red Sox (1948-1952)
Chicago White Sox (1953)
St. Louis Browns (1953)
Baltimore Orioles (1954-1955)
Chicago White Sox (1955)
All-Time Rankings
Vern Stephens ranks #15 among the Top 50 all-time at SS. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1949
Stephens led the AL with 159 RBI, also slugged 39 homers, walked 101 times, and scored 113 runs.
Most Game-Ending Grand Slams
Alex Rodriguez... 3
Vern Stephens... 3
Cy Williams... 3
Bob Aspromonte... 2
Albert Belle... 2
Bobby Bonds... 2
Steve Finley... 2
Ruppert Jones... 2
Ralph Kiner... 2
Davey Lopes... 2
Mark McGwire... 2
Jim Presley... 2
Nomar Garciaparra... 2
David Eckstein... 2
Born
Vernon Decatur Stephens was born on October 23, 1920, in McAlister, NM.
Died
November 3, 1968, Long Beach, CA
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: SS
Primary Team: SLA
Major League Debut
September 13, 1941
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1941
Stan Musial
Phil Rizzuto
Bob Lemon
Vern Stephens
Dave Philley
Jim Hegan
Danny Murtaugh
Dick Wakefield
Virgil Trucks
Nicknames
Junior, Buster
Related Players
Stephens was dealt to the Red Sox with pitcher Jack Kramer.
Post-Season Appearances
1944 World Series
Milestones
- July 19, 1950: 200th HR... Came against Fred Hutchinson at Fenway Park.
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Injuries to his knees and back limited Stephens' effectiveness after 1950. It essentially ended his career as an everyday player. At one point late in his career, Stephens was pinch-hit for by a pitcher.
Trivia Question
Who was the first player to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game?
Trivia Answer
Vern Stephens, 1943 with the Browns.
All-Star Selections
1943 AL
1944 AL
1945 AL
1946 AL
1948 AL
1949 AL
1950 AL
1951 AL
Best Strength as a Player
Power and run production.
Largest Weakness as a Player
There's not much evidence that Stephens had poor range, but some historians claim that he did. His teammate, Bobby Doerr, called him an "excellent shortstop with a great arm." But his defense eroded enough that by 1951, the Sox flipped him with third baseman (and former shortstop) Johnny Pesky.
Learn More about Vern Stephens
Search Amazon.com for Books about Vern Stephens ⇒
Search for Vern Stephens at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
