View source for Steve Stone (baseball)

{{Short description|American MLB pitcher and announcer (born 1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Steve Stone
|image=Steve Stone 1979 Orioles.jpg
|caption=Stone with the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in 1979
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|mf=yes|1947|7|14}}
|birth_place=[[South Euclid, Ohio]], U.S.
|debutleague=MLB
|debutdate=April 8
|debutyear=1971
|debutteam=San Francisco Giants
|finalleague=MLB
|finaldate=September 29
|finalyear=1981
|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=107–93
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.97
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=1,065
|teams = 
* [[San Francisco Giants]] ({{baseball year|1971}}–{{baseball year|1972}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{baseball year|1973}})
* [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{baseball year|1974}}–{{baseball year|1976}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{baseball year|1977}}–{{baseball year|1978}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{baseball year|1979}}–{{baseball year|1981}})
|highlights = 
* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1980]])
* [[AL Cy Young Award]] (1980)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|MLB wins leader]] (1980)
}}
'''Steven Michael Stone''' (born July 14, 1947) is an American former [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) player and current [[sportscaster]] and author.

Stone pitched for four MLB teams between 1971 and 1981. In 1980, he was the AL [[Cy Young Award]] winner and an American League [[All Star]], finishing the season with a record of 25–7 for the [[Baltimore Orioles]]. He was [[WGN-TV]]'s color commentator for [[Chicago Cubs]] broadcasts between 1983 and 2004, missing a couple of seasons late in his tenure due to health problems. He worked in radio until 2009, when he became the [[color commentator]] for [[Chicago White Sox]] television broadcasts.

==Early life==
Stone is Jewish, and was born in [[South Euclid, Ohio]], a Cleveland suburb, to Dorothy (a waitress) and Paul Stone (who changed records in juke boxes, and later became an insurance salesman), who were [[Orthodox Jew]]s.<ref name=autogenerated5>[https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/a906928e Steve Stone {{!}} Society for American Baseball Research<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name=big_jewish_book>{{cite book|last=Horvitz|first=Peter|title=The Big Book of Jewish Baseball: An Illustrated Encyclopedia & Anecdotal History|year=2001|publisher=SP Books|isbn=1-56171-973-0|pages=180|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ZzxydPInwgC&pg=PA180 }}</ref><ref name=autogenerated6>[https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/steve-stone-on-his-70th-birthday-harry-hawk-and-playgirl-pictorial/ Steve Stone on his 70th birthday: Harry, Hawk and Playgirl pictorial {{!}} ''Chicago Sun-Times''<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> His maternal grandfather, Edward Manheim, lived to see Stone celebrate his [[bar mitzvah]] in September 1960.<ref name=autogenerated4>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/magazine/1981/05/17/a-stones-throw-steve-stone/ac37a0f7-e67a-4456-ab4f-f7f2214412ac/ A STONE'S THROW: Steve Stone - ''The Washington Post''<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Stone played high school ball at [[Charles F. Brush High School]] for baseball Coach Jim Humpall. He also won several tennis championships, was a ping pong champion, and was a proficient golfer.<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/ct-steve-stone-at-70-spt-0716-20170715-story.html 70 short stories for Steve Stone's 70th birthday - ''Chicago Tribune''<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref name=autogenerated3>[http://jewishbaseballmuseum.com/player/steve-stone/ Steve Stone – Jewish Baseball Museum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

At [[Kent State University]], Stone was an outstanding pitcher and his catcher was [[Thurman Munson]].<ref name=autogenerated1 /> He was selected to the All [[Mid-American Conference]] team, and was named team captain as a junior.<ref name=big_jewish_book /> He had a 2.00 ERA for the [[Chatham Anglers]] in the [[Cape Cod League]] in 1968.<ref>[http://www.capecodbaseball.org/about/welcome/ Cape Cod Baseball League: Welcome Page<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He also starred on the bowling, volleyball, and tennis teams.<ref name=autogenerated5 /> He joined [[Alpha Epsilon Pi]] [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/greenstein/ct-spt-0516-18-holes-steve-stone-gree20100515,0,2461009.column |title=Stone on golf: 'I just get up and hit it' |publisher=Chicagotribune.com |date=May 15, 2010 |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref> He graduated in 1970 with a teaching degree in history and government.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/Publication.asp?titleID=1&current_page=267 |title=Jewish Baseball Stars |publisher=Jewsinsports.org |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref>

==Draft and minor leagues==
In 1968, he was drafted by the [[Cleveland Indians]] in the 16th round of the draft, but did not sign.<ref name=autogenerated2>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stonest01.shtml Steve Stone Stats {{!}} Baseball-Reference.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In February 1969, he was drafted by the [[San Francisco Giants]] in the fourth round of the draft (secondary phase).<ref name=autogenerated2 />

From 1969–1971, Stone pitched in the [[minor leagues]].<ref name=autogenerated2 /> In 1969, he pitched for the [[Fresno Giants]], in 1970 for the [[Phoenix Giants]] and [[Amarillo Giants]], and in 1971 again for Phoenix. He compiled a 32–24 record, and struck out nearly a batter per [[inning]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/Steve-Stone.shtml |title=Steve Stone Statistics |publisher=The Baseball Cube |access-date=January 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227131004/http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/Steve-Stone.shtml |archive-date=February 27, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref>

==Major league career==

===San Francisco Giants (1971–72)===
Breaking the stereotype of ballplayers in his era, Stone said: <blockquote>[[Charlie Fox (baseball)|Charlie Fox]] (manager of the Giants in 1971) felt the only way a ballplayer could perform was to chew tobacco, wear a sloppy uniform and, as he put it, not be afraid to get a bloody nose, and eat, drink and sleep baseball. I never thought a bloody nose was all that comfortable, and tobacco upsets my stomach. I like to eat – but not baseball – and I never thought sleeping with the game would be all that enjoyable. I think he thought reading hurt your eyes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/Publication.asp?titleID=1&current_page=269 |title=Exhibit Page|publisher=Jews In Sports |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref></blockquote> Ron Fimrite mused in ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' in May 1971 that Stone was "a Jewish intellectual … who just might be a right-handed [[Sandy Koufax|(Sandy) Koufax]]."<ref name=autogenerated1 />

In 1972 he was 6–8 with a 2.98 ERA.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> After suffering a sore arm, Stone was traded by the Giants with [[Ken Henderson]] to the [[Chicago White Sox]] for [[Tom Bradley (baseball)|Tom Bradley]] on November 29, 1972.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/11/30/archives/white-sox-acquire-henderson-and-send-bradley-to-the-giants.html "White Sox Acquire Henderson And Send Bradley to the Giants," ''The New York Times'', Thursday, November 30, 1972.] Retrieved March 10, 2020</ref>

===Chicago White Sox (1973)===
In [[1973 Chicago White Sox season|1973]], he was 6-11 with a 4.24 ERA, and was fourth in the AL in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (7.04), and 8th in [[hit batsmen]] (7).<ref name=autogenerated2 />

===Chicago Cubs (1974–1976)===
Stone was acquired along with [[Steve Swisher]] and [[Ken Frailing]] by the [[Chicago Cubs]] from the crosstown White Sox for [[Ron Santo]] on December 11, 1973.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/12/archives/santo-stays-in-chicago-cubs-trade-him-to-white-sox.html "Santo Stays in Chicago, Cubs Trade Him to White Sox," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Tuesday, December 11, 1973.] Retrieved October 30, 2020</ref> [[Jim Kremmel]] was also sent to the Cubs to complete the transaction one week later on December 18.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/19/archives/white-sox-finish-trade-for-santo.html "White Sox Finish Trade for Santo," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Tuesday, December 18, 1973.] Retrieved October 30, 2020</ref> In 1974 he was 8–5 with a 4.14 ERA.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> In 1975 he was 12–8 with a 3.95 ERA, and pitched 214.3 innings.<ref name=autogenerated2 />

===Chicago White Sox (1977–78)===
In November 1976, after suffering a torn [[rotator cuff]] and undertaking [[cryotherapy]] after refusing surgery and [[cortisone]] injections, he signed as a [[free agent]] with the [[Chicago White Sox]] for $60,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|76000|1976|r=-3}}}} today), turning down offers from four other teams.

In [[1977 Chicago White Sox season|1977]], he was 15–12 with a 4.51 ERA in 207.1 innings.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> During that year on August 29, Stone gave up a home run to [[1977 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]] second baseman [[Duane Kuiper]] – Kuiper's only career home run in 3,379 at bats.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> In [[1978 Chicago White Sox season|1978]], when he was paid $125,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|125000|1978|r=-3}}}} today), he was 12–12 with a 4.37 ERA in 212 innings.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated5 />

===Baltimore Orioles (1979–1981)===
In November 1978, he signed a 4-year, $760,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|760000|1978|r=-3}}}} today) deal as a free agent with the [[Baltimore Orioles]], again turning down four other offers. In 1979 Stone was 11–7 with a 3.77 ERA in 186 innings, and was 7th in the league in fewest hits allowed per 9 innings pitched (8.37).<ref name=autogenerated2 />

His best year was 1980, when he went 25–7 (.781) for the Orioles, won the [[Cy Young Award]] and ''[[The Sporting News]]'' Pitcher of the Year Award, and came in 9th in the AL [[Most valuable player|MVP]] voting.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> Stone's relief pitchers did not blow a save for him all season until his last start of the year. He led the league in wins (his 25 wins set a team record) and won-lost percentage, and was second in games started (37), seventh in ERA (3.23), strikeouts (149), hits allowed/9 IP (8.04), and hit batsmen (6), and ninth in innings pitched (250.7).<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref name=autogenerated4 /> He also won the American League June 1980 [[Pitcher of the Month Award]].<ref name=autogenerated2 /> He also started and pitched three perfect innings in the [[All-Star Game]] that year.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

{{Quote box |width=15em | bgcolor= |align=right | quote= "I knew it would ruin my arm. But one year of 25–7 is worth five of 15–15."|source= — Stone, on throwing over 50% curveballs in 1980}}Stone threw as many as 73 [[curveball]]s in a game at least twice that season, even though he knew he might damage his pitching arm.<ref name="JamesNeyer2004">{{cite book|last1=James|first1=Bill|last2=Neyer|first2=Rob|title=The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers: An Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers, and Pitches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7FfRLE6I5EEC&pg=GBS.PA395.w.1.13.0|access-date=May 25, 2012|date=June 15, 2004|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=9780743261586|page=395}}</ref>

"I used to try not to lose before", Stone said in 1980. "Now, when I go out, I go out to win every time, and I'm certain I am. I try to envision myself literally walking off the mound a winner. I allow no negatives in my thinking. When certain ones start creeping in, I erase them and make it like a blank blackboard waiting to be filled in with things like, 'The team is going to play well, is going to score some runs, I'm going to throw strikes, I'm going to win.' "<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/Publication.asp?titleID=1&current_page=267 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526020820/http://www.jewsinsports.org/Publication.asp?titleID=1&current_page=267 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 26, 2011 |title=Jews In Sports |date=December 17, 2010 |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref>

After his Cy Young season, the pitcher who was listed as 5' 10" commented: <blockquote>All my life, because of my size, people have been telling me what I couldn't do. They said I was too small and not durable enough. First they said I'd never pitch in high school. Then they said I'd never pitch in college. Then they said okay, but you'll never pitch professionally. Then they said well, maybe you're pitching professionally but you'll never make it out of the minors. When I got to the majors, they said well, you may be in the majors but you'll never be good. Now those same people are saying I won't have a good year this year. That kind of thing is reiterated by people who've never achieved a great deal themselves.<ref name=autogenerated4 /></blockquote>

Stone suffered from shoulder [[tendinitis]] in 1981, going 4–7 with a 4.60 ERA.<ref name=greatjewsinsports>{{cite book|last=Slater|first=Robert|title=Great Jews in sports|year=2008|publisher=The University of Michigan|pages=275|isbn=9780824604332|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yw-DAAAAMAAJ&q=%22steve+stone%22+jewish}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated3 /> He appeared in a pair of [[spring training]] contests before going on the [[injured list|disabled list]] on March 21, 1982. He announced his retirement as an active player {{frac|2|1|2}} months later on June 2 due to recurring arm problems. His MLB career record was 107&ndash;93, 40&ndash;21 with the Orioles for a .656 winning percentage which was the best ever by a Baltimore pitcher over a three-year span.<ref>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/06/02/Steve-Stone-the-former-Cy-Young-winner-who-once/8373391838400/ "Steve Stone, the former Cy Young winner who once...," ''United Press International'' (UPI), Wednesday, June 2, 1982.] Retrieved March 25, 2023.</ref>

He is considered one of the best Jewish pitchers in major league history.<ref name=big_jewish_book /><ref name=big_book_heros_illustrated>{{cite book|last=Horvitz|first=Peter|title=The Big Book of Jewish Sports Heroes: An Illustrated Compendium of Sports History and The 150 Greatest Jewish Sports Stars|year=2007|publisher=SP Books|isbn=978-1-56171-907-5|pages=52|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xcfef_d2es4C&pg=PA52}}</ref><ref name=ellis_island>{{cite book|last=Levine|first=Peter|title=Ellis Island to Ebbets Field: Sport and the American Jewish Experience|year=1993|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-508555-8|pages=243|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qjOYf1YAhaoC&pg=PA243}}</ref><ref name=baseball_classroom>{{cite book|last=Rielly|first=Edward|title=Baseball in the classroom: essays on teaching the national pastime|year=2006|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0-7864-2779-5|pages=52|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxrmVhcJjAUC&pg=PA52}}</ref> Through July 2011, Stone was third among Jewish pitchers in career wins (107) and strikeouts (1,065), behind [[Ken Holtzman]] and [[Sandy Koufax]] and directly ahead of [[Jason Marquis]], and ninth in games pitched (320), behind [[Barry Latman]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jewishmajorleaguers.org/crrldrs/crrldrs.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040803121515/http://jewishmajorleaguers.org/crrldrs/crrldrs.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 3, 2004 |title=Jewish Major Leaguers Career Leaders |publisher=Jewishmajorleaguers.org |access-date=January 22, 2011 }}</ref> Reminiscing about Sandy Koufax's influence on him and others when he was a child, he said, "He gave little Jewish boys some hope."<ref name=leavy_koufax>{{cite book|last=Leavy|first=Jane|title=Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy|year=2010|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-177900-8|pages=193|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vmkRr_XJlBgC&pg=PA193}}</ref>

==Sportscasting career (1982–present)==
[[File:Steve Stone interviews Mike Mullen CROP.jpg|thumb|right|Stone announcing with [[WGN Sports]] in 2010]]

===Monday Night Baseball / ABC Sports (1982)===
Following his retirement, Stone was hired by [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]]<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=September 6, 2004|title=Interview: Steve Stone|url=https://www.theheckler.com/2004/09/06/interview-steve-stone/|work=The Heckler|location= |access-date=}}</ref> to serve as a [[color commentator]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Paintadosi|first=Roger|date=August 13, 1982|title=There's No Play-by-Play Like Home|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1982/08/13/theres-no-play-by-play-like-home/dd0966af-29b7-4eac-9c94-9b0e98445315/|work= |location= |access-date=}}</ref> for their ''[[Monday Night Baseball]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://azjewishlife.com/steve-stone-thinking-out-stretch/|title=STEVE STONE: THINKING OUT OF THE STRETCH|last= |first= |date=April 1, 2013|website=Arizona Jewish Life|publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}</ref> telecasts. Stone was normally [[List of Major League Baseball prime time television broadcasters#1980s|paired]] with [[Al Michaels]]<ref>{{cite news |last=Hirdt|first=Steve|date=July 23, 2021|title=Yes, Al, We Do Believe In Miracles|url=https://theanalyst.com/na/2021/07/al-michaels-ford-frick-award-baseball-hall-of-fame/|work=The Analyst|location= |access-date=}}</ref> and [[Bob Uecker]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Stone|first=Steve|author-link= |date= January 2001|title=Where's Harry?: Steve Stone Remembers 25 Years with Harry Caray|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YgbcAe0zsUoC&dq=ABC+Steve+Stone+Monday+night+baseball+al+michaels&pg=PA8|location= |publisher= Taylor Trade|page=8|isbn=9781461732471}}</ref> in the booth.

===Chicago Cubs / WGN (1983–2004)===
In 1983, Stone became a color commentator for the [[WGN-TV|WGN]] television broadcasts of the [[Chicago Cubs]], teaming for 14 years with [[Baseball Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] announcer [[Harry Caray]]. In 1985, he posed for ''[[Playgirl]]''.<ref name=autogenerated6 /> After Harry Caray's death in February 1998, Stone was paired with Caray's grandson [[Chip Caray]]. Stone left the booth for health reasons in [[2000 Chicago Cubs season|2000]], including a case of [[coccidioidomycosis]] (Valley fever) and [[kidney stones]], and returned to the Cubs booth in [[2003 Chicago Cubs season|2003]] and [[2004 Chicago Cubs season|2004]].<ref>[http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/October-2007/Stone-in-Exile/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1 Schollmeyer, Josh, ''Stone in Exile''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930160458/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/October-2007/Stone-in-Exile/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1 |date=September 30, 2012 }} ''Chicago Magazine'', October 2007.</ref><ref name=autogenerated1 />

Stone temporally took over play-by-play duties from Caray while the latter was [[Stroke recovery|recovering]] from a [[stroke]] at the start of the [[1987 Chicago Cubs season|1987 season]]. WGN announced that until Caray was well enough to return, guest announcers would fill in and sit alongside Stone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicago.epguides.com/Cubs/guestannouncers.asp |title=Guest announcers for Harry Caray, 1987 |access-date=2010-06-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710194421/http://chicago.epguides.com/Cubs/guestannouncers.asp |archive-date=July 10, 2011}}</ref>

On August 7, 1993, Stone provided commentary alongside [[Jim Kaat]] for a [[1993 Chicago Cubs season|Cubs]] game against the [[1993 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] for [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Quip About Beating Wife Gets Green in Trouble|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PD&s_site=twincities&p_multi=SP&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5DD0F088C9ACB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=St. Paul Pioneer Press|date=August 5, 1993|access-date=March 19, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Monday Night Football intro will vary|author=Prentis Rogers|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AT&p_theme=at&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EADA070F8D9183A&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=August 6, 2012 |access-date=March 19, 2012}}</ref>

===Leaving the Cubs booth===
Stone refused a contract extension as the Cubs color-man after the 2004 season amid a controversy involving Cubs players who felt he was being overly critical of their performance. Even so, he was a fan favorite. One reason he was so well-liked was his ability to accurately predict what might happen in various game situations, explaining to the audience why the strategy or pitch would be successful prior to the play. A famous example of this was him expressing "I wouldn't pitch to this guy" in a 2004 game, seconds before the batter ([[Adam Dunn]]) hit a home run off Cubs pitcher [[Mike Remlinger]] to give the [[2004 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]] the lead.

Stone expressed frustration with Cubs manager [[Dusty Baker]] for not controlling his players. At one point during the 2004 season, [[Kent Mercker]] called the broadcast booth from the bullpen during a game to complain about comments made, also confronting Stone in a hotel lobby.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070506150436/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20041020/ai_n12563996 Unchanged Stone will be back in '05 ''Chicago Sun-Times''<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Among the comments that reportedly irked Mercker were Chip Caray's praise of [[2004 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]] pitcher [[Roy Oswalt]]. It was also reported that Mercker and left fielder [[Moisés Alou]] shouted at Stone on a team charter plane to a road game in 2004, and that Alou tried to have Stone and Caray banned from the team charter flights.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/john_donovan/09/03/wouldbe.contenders/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040904143746/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/john_donovan/09/03/wouldbe.contenders/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 4, 2004 |title=Donovan: Second half went sour for these clubs|magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=September 3, 2004 |access-date=January 22, 2011}}</ref>

On September 30, 2004, in the wake of a 12-inning loss to the Cincinnati Reds that all but eliminated the Cubs, Stone strongly criticized the team. "The truth of this situation is [this is] an extremely talented bunch of guys who want to look at all directions except where they should really look, and kind of make excuses for what happened. ... This team should have won the wild-card [playoff berth] by six, seven games. No doubt about it."<ref>{{cite web|author=Carrie Muskat |url=http://www.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20041001&content_id=877754&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc/ |title=Stone's criticism surprises Cubs |work=MLB.com |access-date=January 22, 2011}}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The comments stunned manager Baker and were a factor in Stone's resignation as a Cub broadcaster the following month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cubschronicle.com/wp/posts/2004/10/28/steve-stone-resigns/ |title=Steve Stone Resigns |publisher=The Cubs Chronicle |date=October 28, 2004 |access-date=January 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317213446/http://www.cubschronicle.com/wp/posts/2004/10/28/steve-stone-resigns/ |archive-date=March 17, 2010 |df=mdy }}</ref>

===Chicago White Sox (2005–present)===
In early 2005 Stone was hired by Chicago radio station [[WSCR]] to provide commentary and host a weekly [[talk show]], hosted on Mondays by [[Boers and Bernstein|Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein]], on Tuesdays by [[Mike North]], and on Thursdays by Brian Hanley and Mike Mulligan.<ref name=jewishsportsstars>{{cite book|last=Goldman|first=David|title=Jewish sports stars: athletic heroes past and present|year=2006|publisher=Kar-Ben Publishing|isbn=1-58013-183-2|pages=16|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NACkGVm3C3wC&pg=PA16}}</ref> He was also hired by [[MLB on ESPN|ESPN]] to work some of that network's baseball telecasts.

In early August 2007, Stone filled in for [[2007 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] color commentator [[Darrin Jackson]], while Jackson took leave for the birth of his child, during which he successfully predicted a walk-off home run by [[Juan Uribe]] in [[extra inning]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aolnews.com/2007/08/09/steve-stone-is-a-soothsayer |title=x |publisher=Aolnews.com |date=August 9, 2007 |access-date=August 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020093706/http://www.aolnews.com/2007/08/09/steve-stone-is-a-soothsayer/ |archive-date=October 20, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In October 2007, Stone called [[2007 American League Division Series|postseason games]] between the [[2007 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] and [[2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim season|Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]] for [[Major League Baseball on TBS|TBS]], partnered with play-by-play announcer [[Ted Robinson (sportscaster)|Ted Robinson]]. On March 4, 2008, Stone was named the color commentator for White Sox radio broadcasts for the [[2008 Chicago White Sox season|2008 season]] on [[WSCR]] AM670 The Score, replacing [[Chris Singleton (baseball)|Chris Singleton]], who moved to [[ESPN]]'s ''[[Baseball Tonight (MLB)|Baseball Tonight]]''.

On September 13, 2008, Stone accepted the job as the color commentator for White Sox television broadcasts for six years beginning with the [[2009 Chicago White Sox season|2009 season]]. He said he enjoyed being in the booth with [[Hawk Harrelson]], stating that he liked his nickname "Stone Pony." Stone also acted as a fill-in play-by-play announcer when Harrelson wasn't available. He worked with either analysts [[Tom Paciorek]] or [[Tony Graffanino]].

After Harrelson's retirement in 2018, Stone was paired with [[Jason Benetti]] (who filled in for Harrelson from 2016-2018) on White Sox telecasts from 2019-2023. In 2020, Stone and Benetti were ranked as the 8th best broadcast duo by The Athletic,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox/white-sox-announcers-benetti-stone-rank-as-one-of-top-10-mlb-broadcasts/381377/ | title=CHSN }}</ref> and they were consistently ranked as an outstanding duo throughout their 5 years together. Benetti, widely recognized as one of the best play-by-play announcers in the MLB, left the White Sox booth after the 2023 season to become the Tigers play-by-play announcer, citing a disrespectful remark from the team's chief revenue and marketing officer Brooks Boyer as an example of his strained relationship with the team's front office.<ref>{{cite news |last=Agrest |first=Jeff |date=2023-11-16 |title=Jason Benetti's departure from White Sox hastened by contentious relationship with exec Brooks Boyer |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/16/23964326/jason-benetti-white-sox-brooks-boyer-mike-monaco-connor-mcknight-chris-stefan-chip-harry-caray |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117082913/https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/16/23964326/jason-benetti-white-sox-brooks-boyer-mike-monaco-connor-mcknight-chris-stefan-chip-harry-caray |archive-date=2023-11-17 |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |access-date=2024-03-31}}</ref>

Since 2024, Stone has been paired with [[John Schriffen]] in the White Sox booth.<ref name="Schriffen">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox/white-sox-hire-new-play-by-play-announcer-to-work-alongside-steve-stone/535412/|title=White Sox hire new play-by-play announcer to work alongside Steve Stone |work=[[NBC Sports Chicago]] |date=January 25, 2024}}</ref> In their first year together, Stone and Schriffen were ranked as the 30th best broadcast duo in the MLB, a sharp fall from the 6th place ranking Stone and Benetti achieved the year prior.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nbcsportschicago.com/mlb/chicago-white-sox/white-sox-announcers-benetti-stone-rank-as-one-of-top-10-mlb-broadcasts/381377/ | title=CHSN }}</ref>

Though some suspected Stone would retire after an abysmal [[2024_Chicago_White_Sox_season|2024 season]] for the White Sox, Stone announced during the last week of the regular season that he had agreed on a long-term multi-year deal to remain the color analyst for the White Sox, starting in 2025. In his words, "They signed me to a contract that will pretty much ensure when I do decide to retire, it will be as a member of the Chicago White Sox organization."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/steve-stone-multiyear-agreement-white-sox-tv-analyst | title=White Sox broadcaster Steve Stone signs multiyear deal | website=[[MLB.com]] }}</ref>

==Writing==
In 1999, Stone, along with Barry Rozner of the Chicago suburban area ''[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)|Daily Herald]]'', authored ''Where's Harry?'', a memoir of his experiences with Harry Caray in the WGN booth.

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
* [[List of Jewish Major League Baseball players]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]

==Books==
*''Where's Harry?'' (1999) (with Barry Rozner) Taylor Publishing; {{ISBN|0-87833-233-2}}
*''Said In Stone: Your Game, My Way'' (2011) Triumph Books; {{ISBN|1-60078-538-7}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{baseballstats|br=s/stonest01 |fangraphs=1012573|brm=stone-003ste}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040803121515/http://jewishmajorleaguers.org/crrldrs/crrldrs.html Jewish Major League career leaders]}}
*[https://twitter.com/stevestone?lang=en Twitter page]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [[Lou Boudreau]]<br />[[Joe Carter]] | title = [[Chicago Cubs]] [[List of Chicago Cubs broadcasters|television color commentator]]| years = [[1983 Chicago Cubs season|1983]]–[[2000 Chicago Cubs season|2000]]<br />[[2003 Chicago Cubs season|2003]]–[[2004 Chicago Cubs season|2004]] | after = [[Joe Carter]]<br />[[Bob Brenly]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{AL Cy Young}}
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