Jerry Stephenson

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Jerry Stephenson

| image =Jerry Stephenson Red Sox.jpg

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|10|6}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|6|6|1943|10|6}}

| death_place =Anaheim, California, U.S.

| bats =Left

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate =April 14

| debutyear =1963

| debutteam =Boston Red Sox

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate =September 21

| finalyear =1970

| finalteam =Los Angeles Dodgers

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value =8–19

| stat2label =Earned run average

| stat2value =5.70

| stat3label =Strikeouts

| stat3value =184

| teams =

Boston Red Sox ({{baseball year|1963}}, {{baseball year|1965}}–{{baseball year|1968}})
Seattle Pilots ({{baseball year|1969}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{baseball year|1970}})

}}

Jerry Joseph Stephenson (October 6, 1943 – June 6, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and longtime scout. As a player, he appeared for all or parts of seven seasons for the Boston Red Sox (1963; 1965–68), Seattle Pilots (1969) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1970). Born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in Hermosa Beach and Anaheim, California, Stephenson was a graduate of Anaheim High School and California State University, Fullerton. He threw right-handed, batted left-handed, and was listed as {{convert|6|ft|2|in}} tall and {{convert|185|lb}}.{{Cite web |title=Jerry Stephenson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stephje01.shtml |access-date=February 28, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

The son of former MLB catcher and longtime Boston scout Joe Stephenson, Jerry Stephenson signed a bonus contract with the Red Sox upon his high school graduation in June 1961. He was regarded as a top prospect until he hurt his elbow while pitching for the 1964 Seattle Rainiers of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League;{{Cite web |last=Nowlin |first=Bill |title=Jerry Stephenson |url=http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1296&pid=13610 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713140653/http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1296&pid=13610 |archive-date=July 13, 2010 |access-date= |website=Society for American Baseball Research |language=en-US}} until he was injured, he had posted a 6–4 record and an ERA of 1.57 in 14 starts, along with 97 strikeouts and only 61 hits allowed in 92 innings pitched. Six years later, as a veteran, he went 18–5 with a 2.82 ERA in 28 starts for the Triple-A Spokane Indians, the Dodgers' top affiliate, pitching for manager Tommy Lasorda.{{Cite web |title=Jerry Stephenson Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stephe002jer |access-date= |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

During his MLB career, Stephenson compiled a won–lost record of 8–19, 184 strikeouts, three complete games, one save, and a 5.70 earned run average in 67 games (33 as a starting pitcher) and 238{{fraction|1|3}} innings pitched. He allowed 265 hits and 145 bases on balls. His one save came on August 19, 1967 during the Red Sox "Impossible Dream" season. Stephenson got the last two outs against the California Angels to close out a wild 12–11 Red Sox victory at Fenway Park.{{Cite web |date=August 19, 1967 |title=California Angels at Boston Red Sox Box Score, August 19, 1967 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196708190.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Following in his father's footsteps, Stephenson spent 36 years as a Major League scout, working with the Dodgers (1974–94) and Red Sox (1995–2009) before his retirement to part-time status after the {{baseball year|2009}} season. His son Brian Stephenson, a former minor league pitcher, is a regional crosschecker for the Dodgers — the third generation of the family to serve as an MLB scout.

Stephenson died from cancer at his home in Anaheim on Sunday, June 6, 2010, at the age of 66.{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2010 |title=Former Red Sox pitcher Stephenson dies at 66 |url=https://www.espn.com/boston/mlb/news/story?id=5261373 |access-date= |website=ESPN |language=en |agency=Associated Press}}