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Lloyd Stirling (D)

HONOURED MEMBER

Biography

After seven years of organized baseball in Saint John and record-setting pitching performances in league and Maritime championship play, he took to the road to pursue a career as a professional. He plied his trade mainly in New England before settling in Winnipeg with the Northern League Maroons from 1933 to ‘36. Then it was off to Toronto and the International League before opting to manage in Sorel and Trois-Rivières. Old and not so old-timers recall his hiring of one-armed Pete Gray for his Trois-Rivières team. Thanks in part to Stirling’s confidence in him Gray went on to the Major Leagues with St. Louis in 1945. Great and selfless were his unique contributions to youth sport in Moncton and Saint John. But the highlight of his career came in 1935 with the Maroons when his record was 24 wins and only 2 losses, an achievement that stood for years. L’un des rares Néo-Brunswick qui est parvenu à faire carrière en tant que joueur et gérant de baseball professionnel. Enrolled in the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, June 3rd, 2006.

Quick Facts

Began playing senior baseball as a 14 year-old in Saint John
Was a star with the Saint John Water Department team which featured many of the city's best players
In 1925 he won 21 of 25 games he pitched, including a no-hitter to win the New Brunswick title and let the Water Department to the Maritime Championship
He won 30 games in 1927 with the Saint John Fusilliers, and was scouted by the Boston Red Sox
Attended the Red Sox training camp in 1928 and was assigned to the Eastern League
From 1928-1937 he played with professional teams in the United States and Canada
With Winnipeg Maroons in 1935 he won 24 games aganist only 2 losses and had 13 wins in a row
Was player-manager with Sorel in the QuebecLeague in 1936 and 1937 and let the team to two league pennants
Managed Trois-Riveres in 1938-39 and recruited one-armed outfielder Pete Gray for a one-game trial