Vern Stephens

Vernon Decatur Stephens (October 23, 1920 – November 3, 1968) was an American shortstop in professional baseball who played 15 seasons in the American League for four teams. He was born in McAlister, New Mexico while his parents were en route from Oklahoma to California. Stephens batted and threw right-handed. He was also nicknamed "Little Slug", "Junior", and "Buster". Ted Williams credited him with being the most effective of those who followed him in the Red Sox batting order. During his stint with the Red Sox he outshone Bobby Doerr, a Hall-of-famer, who followed him in the Sox batting order. In 1949 he hit 39 home runs, second only to Williams that year in the American League, while batting in 159 runs tying Williams for the league lead. The next closest American Leaguers hit 24 home runs that year while Doerr hit 18. In his book "Summer of '49" author David Halberstam seems to go great lengths to belittle Stephens' 1949 performance while exalting that of Doerr which was patently unfair.