Rick Cerone

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#1c2841
bgcolor2=#1c2841
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Rick Cerone


position=Catcher
birthdate=birth date and age|1954|5|19
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=August 17
debutyear=1975
debutteam=Cleveland Indians
finaldate=July 10
finalyear=1992
finalteam=Montreal Expos
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.245
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=59
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=436
teams=
*Cleveland Indians (by|1975-by|1976)
*Toronto Blue Jays (by|1977-by|1979)
*New York Yankees (by|1980-by|1984)
*Atlanta Braves (by|1985)
*Milwaukee Brewers (by|1986)
*New York Yankees (by|1987)
*Boston Red Sox (by|1988-by|1989)
*New York Yankees (by|1990)
*New York Mets (by|1991)
*Montreal Expos (by|1992)
highlights=
*American League pennant: 1981

Richard Aldo Cerone (born May 19, 1954 in Newark, New Jersey) from Seton Hall University was a Major League Baseball player from 1975 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos. Cerone was primarily a catcher.

Cerone played high school baseball and football at Essex Catholic High School. [Gramlich, Barry. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22678880.html "PASSAIC DROPS A HAMMER ON BC"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", October 3, 1993. Accessed October 23, 2007. "Turn back the calendar to 1971 when former Yankee Rick Cerone was the Essex Catholic quarterback against Bergen Catholic."]

The Yankees acquired Cerone for the 1980 season, following the death of their great catcher Thurman Munson the year before. Cerone had his best season in 1980 when he batted .277 with 70 runs scored and 30 doubles.

In the early 1980s, there was a controversy in the New York City area as to who was the real "Italian Stallion", Cerone, who at that time played for the Yankees or Lee Mazzilli, who at that time played for the Mets.

In 1998, Cerone founded the Newark Bears, a minor league ball club in the independent Atlantic League. He sold the team in 2003.

Cerone lived in Cresskill, New Jersey in the 1990s [Smith, Claire. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3DD163EF931A15752C0A967958260 "Cerone Is Happy to Join Mets After Weak Year With Yanks"] , "The New York Mets", January 22, 1991. Accessed January 2, 2008. ""I wanted to play for the Mets," Cerone said by telephone from his Cresskill, N.J., home. "I wanted to play for a contender. And I wanted to stay close to home.""] and later in West Paterson, New Jersey. [ [http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/digest/20070510.htm New Jersey Legislative Digest] , New Jersey Legislature. Accessed October 23, 2007. "TO BE A MEMBER OF THE NEW JERSEY HALL OF FAME ADVISORY COMMISSION: Rick Cerone, of West Paterson *NOT* Fort Lee."] with three daughters: Jessica, Carly (a rising basketball starFact|date=May 2008), and Nikki.

References

ee also

* Montreal Expos all-time roster

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/ceronri01.shtml Rick Cerone career stats"]