1955 team

John Stokoe, Member of 1955 CWS Team, Passes Away

5/3/2019 10:48:00 AM | Baseball

John Stokoe, a member of the Wake Forest 1955 College World Series championship baseball team, passed away Tuesday in New Hampshire at the age of 84

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- John Stokoe, a member of the Wake Forest 1955 College World Series championship baseball team, passed away Tuesday in New Hampshire at the age of 84.

In his Wake Forest career, Stokoe had a 9-8 record with a 2.97 ERA and struck out 123 batters in 141 innings. He also batted .347 with four home runs.

In the 1955 College World Series semifinals, he threw a complete-game shutout with nine strikeouts in a 2-0 victory over Oklahoma State.

After playing at Wake Forest, Stokoe spent four years in professional baseball, reaching the AA level. He then worked for several decades as a scout for the Baltimore Orioles. In an article several years ago, he credited the 1955 CWS Championship as still being the most fun he ever had in baseball.

Stokoe passed away on the same night of the annual Jim Horn Memorial Game, where Wake Forest recognized Jim Horn, another member of the 1955 team who also helped bring the American Legion World Series and Keeter Stadium to Shelby, North Carolina.

Four other members of that 1955 team attended Tuesday's game: Billy Ray Barnes, Jack McGinley, George Miller and Bob Koontz. Three other members of that team are still living: Jack Bryant, Tommy Cole and Linwood Holt.
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