Vernon Decatur Stephens (October 23, 1920 – November 4, 1968) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from through . An eight-time All-Star, Stephens was notable for being the American League home run champion and was a three-time American League RBI champion. He was the cleanup hitter for the only St. Louis Browns team to win an American League pennant in , and was a top power hitter for the Boston Red Sox. Nicknamed "Little Slug", "Junior", and "Buster", Stephens batted and threw right-handed. He was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006.

Baseball career

thumb|left|Stephens working in a shipyard during [[World War II.]]

Stephens was born in McAlister, New Mexico while his parents were en route from Oklahoma to California.

Highlights

  • 8-time All-Star (1943–1944, 1945 [non-official game], 1946, 1948–1951)
  • Six times in the Top 10 in MVP voting (1942–1945, 1948–1949)
  • Led the American League in home runs during 1945
  • Three times led the American League in RBI (1944, 1949–1950)
  • Collected 440 RBI within three consecutive seasons (1948–1950)
  • Three times in the Top 10 in batting average (1942–1943, 1946)
  • Twice led the American League in games played (1948–1949)
  • Was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006
  • Only man to play for the 1944 American League Champion St. Louis Browns and the Baltimore Orioles, the team the Browns franchise became after it moved to Baltimore in 1954
  • Holds the MLB record for RBI in a season by a shortstop, with 159 in 1949
  • Became the first shortstop to hit 30 home runs in a season, with 39 in 1949
  • Attended Polytechnic High School, Long Beach, California (also attended by Tony Gwynn, Chase Utley, Milton Bradley, etc.)

See also

  • Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2009
  • List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
  • List of Boston Red Sox awards
  • List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
  • List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
  • List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
  • List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders

References

  • Baseball Almanac