1969: Bill Stoneman

Editor’s note: Throughout this year Press Room Pass will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 baseball season with a variety of stories from the covering personal accomplishments, unique moments, major league expansion and the amazing New York Mets. This is the latest installment of that series.

Bill Stoneman has a place in baseball history despite not having a winning record as a pitcher during his eight seasons in the major leagues.

In 2002, Stoneman was the general manager of the Anaheim Angels as the organization won its first World Series title.

Being first in a team’s history is nothing new for Stoneman.

Back in 1969, Stoneman was a member of the Montreal Expos during the inaugural season of the franchise.

The righthander’s historical moment came in the ninth game for the Expos as Stoneman tossed a no-hitter in Philadelphia. He fanned eight and walked five in the 7-0 victory in Connie Mack Stadium on April 17.

Rusty Staub and Coco Laboy led the Expos with four hits apiece. It was Staub who had the most memorable night at the plate with a homer and three doubles.

The victory was Stoneman’s first of the season and he would finish with an 11-19 mark with a 3.29 ERA. He would also top the National League with 123 walks and a dozen hit-by-pitches.

It was the fifth start of his career and third of 1969. He got one out in his first appearance with the Expos and then dropped a 7-6 heart-breaker to the Chicago Cubs in his second start with a three-run rally capped by a walk-off single by Ernie Banks. Stoneman, who was tagged with the loss, was one out away from a victory when he was relieved by Carroll Sembera.

Five days after his no-hitter, Stoneman blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0. He would go on to have a career-high five shutouts in his first of five seasons in Montreal.

Second No-Hitter

At the end of the 1972 season, Stoneman tossed his second no-hitter in a 7-0 win over the New York Mets in Montreal on Oct. 2.

That day, Stoneman fanned nine and walked seven in the opening game of a doubleheader.

There would be four no-hitters in the history of the Expos. Charlie Lea had the third one in 1981, while Dennis Martinez had a perfect game during the 1991 season.

Since the Expos moved to Washington after the 2004 season to become the Nationals, the franchise has added three more no-hitters to total seven in team history.

Jordan Zimmerman‘s 2014 performance was the first for the Nationals with Max Scherzer doing it twice in 2015.

Started with Cubs

Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1966, Stoneman made it to the big leagues the following season and he went 2-4 with an ERA of 3.29. He was 0-1 in 1968 and was picked by the Expos in the expansion draft.

Stoneman played in Montreal from 1969 to 1973 with his best years coming in 1971 and 1972. He was 17-16 in 1971, which was his only winning season. The next year, he pitched in the all-star game and finished 12-14 with a career-best ERA of 2.98.

His final season was in 1974 with the California Angels.

First No-Hitters by Expansion Teams

1961 – Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels (1962, Bo Belinsky)
1961 – Washington Senators/Texas Rangers (1973, Jim Bibby)
1962 – Houston Colt 45s/Astros (1963, Don Nottebart)
1962 – New York Mets (2012, Johan Santana)
1969 – Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (1969, Bill Stoneman)
1969 – Kansas City Royals (1973, Steve Busby)
1969 – Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers (1987, Juan Nieves)
1969 – San Diego Padres (Never had no-hitter)
1977 – Toronto Blue Jays (1990, Dave Stieb)
1977 – Seattle Mariners (1990, Randy Johnson)
1993 – Florida/Miami Marlins (1996, Al Leiter)
1993 – Colorado Rockies (2010, Ubaldo Jimenez)
1998 – Arizona Diamondbacks (2004, Randy Johnson)
1998 – Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2010, Matt Garza)