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Americo Peter Petrocelli
Boston Red Sox
Shortstop
Born: June 27, 1943, Brooklyn, NY
Signed: Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent, July 2, 1961
Major League Teams: Boston Red Sox 1963, 1965-1976
Jerry Joseph Stephenson
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher
Born: October 6, 1943, Detroit, MI
Signed: Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent, June 17, 1961
Major League Teams: Boston Red Sox 1963, 1965-1968; Seattle Pilots 1969; Los Angeles Dodgers 1970
Died: June 6, 2010, Anaheim, CA (age 66)
Rico Petrocelli was a two-time All-Star who spent his entire 13-year big league career as the regular shortstop or third baseman for the Red Sox. In his biggest game with the club, he hit two home runs in Game 6 of the 1967 World Series, leading the Red Sox to the win and forcing a Game 7 against the Cardinals. He helped the Red Sox reach the World Series in both 1967 and 1975, but his best personal season came in 1969. That year, he batted .297 with a career high 40 home runs and 97 RBIs as the most dangerous bat in a Red Sox line-up that also consisted of Carl Yastrzemski (#385) and Reggie Smith. He bettered his RBI mark in 1970 with 103. Over his career, he earned three top ten finishes in the American League for home runs and four top ten finishes in RBIs. A fine fielder too, Petrocelli's .970 fielding percentage as a third baseman is currently 8th all-time. In 1,553 career games, he batted .251 with 210 home runs and 773 RBIs. Petrocelli was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997.
Jerry Stephenson pitched in parts of seven seasons with three different clubs, appearing the most with the Red Sox between 1963 and 1968. In 67 career games, including 33 starts, he went 8-19 with a 5.70 ERA. His lone big league save came on August 19, 1967 during a crucial win in the middle of the Red Sox' Impossible Dream season. His best professional season came with the Triple-A Spokane Indians in 1970, the Dodgers top farm team managed by Tommy Lasorda. Stephenson went 18-5 with a 2.82 ERA over 28 starts with the Indians that year. Following his playing days, he spent 36 years as a scout for the Dodgers (1974-1994) and Red Sox (1995-2009).
Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #181
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged. Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 5 cards I added from eBay seller Super Bowl Auctions from Marco Island, Florida. With the exception of a league leaders card featuring Mickey Mantle, this was the most expensive card in the lot of 32 cards added as it set Santa back $15.
The Card / Red Sox Team Set
Petrocelli's #38 is peaking through on his back, and he'd switch to his more familiar #6 beginning in 1966. This is his rookie card, and his 1966 Topps solo card would feature the Topps All-Star Rookie trophy. This is also Stephenson's rookie card, and he'd appear in four more Topps flagship sets through 1971.
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Petrocelli
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #74
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13): 1965-1977
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2019 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-RP
167 - Petrocelli non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/26/20.
Sources - Petrocelli:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Stephenson
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #74
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1965-1966, 1968-1969, 1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1971 Topps #488
18 - Stephenson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/26/20.
Sources - Stephenson:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
Previous Card: #73 Dennis Ribant - New York Mets
Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #181
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged. Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 5 cards I added from eBay seller Super Bowl Auctions from Marco Island, Florida. With the exception of a league leaders card featuring Mickey Mantle, this was the most expensive card in the lot of 32 cards added as it set Santa back $15.
The Card / Red Sox Team Set
Petrocelli's #38 is peaking through on his back, and he'd switch to his more familiar #6 beginning in 1966. This is his rookie card, and his 1966 Topps solo card would feature the Topps All-Star Rookie trophy. This is also Stephenson's rookie card, and he'd appear in four more Topps flagship sets through 1971.
1965 Season - Petrocelli
This was Petrocelli's first full season with the Red Sox, after spending all of 1964 in the minors. He was named the Red Sox opening day shortstop, and ended up switching out at the position with Eddie Bressoud (#525) throughout the season. Petrocelli started 93 games at short to Bressoud's 69. After a failed experiment as a switch-hitter, Petrocelli reverted to a full-time right-handed hitter and watched his average steadily improve. In 103 games, Petrocelli hit .232 with 13 home runs and 33 RBIs. His first big league home run came on June 20th against the White Sox pitcher Gary Peters (#430).
This was Petrocelli's first full season with the Red Sox, after spending all of 1964 in the minors. He was named the Red Sox opening day shortstop, and ended up switching out at the position with Eddie Bressoud (#525) throughout the season. Petrocelli started 93 games at short to Bressoud's 69. After a failed experiment as a switch-hitter, Petrocelli reverted to a full-time right-handed hitter and watched his average steadily improve. In 103 games, Petrocelli hit .232 with 13 home runs and 33 RBIs. His first big league home run came on June 20th against the White Sox pitcher Gary Peters (#430).
1965 Season - Stephenson
Stephenson appeared in 15 games for the Red Sox with sporadic appearances between May and September. He was on the big league roster the entire season, but as told by his SABR biography he was the last pitcher manager Billy Herman (#251) would consider using. He went 1-5 in 8 stars and 7 relief appearances, with a 6.23 ERA over 52 innings pitched.
Stephenson appeared in 15 games for the Red Sox with sporadic appearances between May and September. He was on the big league roster the entire season, but as told by his SABR biography he was the last pitcher manager Billy Herman (#251) would consider using. He went 1-5 in 8 stars and 7 relief appearances, with a 6.23 ERA over 52 innings pitched.
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Other Notable Baseball Cards - Petrocelli
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #74
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13): 1965-1977
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2019 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-RP
167 - Petrocelli non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/26/20.
Sources - Petrocelli:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Stephenson
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #74
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1965-1966, 1968-1969, 1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1971 Topps #488
18 - Stephenson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/26/20.
Sources - Stephenson:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
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Next Card: #75 Deron Johnson - Cincinnati Reds
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