Toni Stone was born July 17, 1921.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Stone started playing baseball when she was 10. As a teenager, Paul played with the boys in her hometown. In the 1940s Stone had her name changed to Toni Stone, and she dropped 10 years off her age so that she would improve her chances of getting noticed by a men's team.
In 1953 Stone signed with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro League, making her the first women to play professional baseball.
Stone was signed to play second base, a position that recently became vacated when Hank Aaron joined the Boston Braves. The Clowns began as a gimmick team, much like the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, who were known for their showmanship. But by the 1950s, the Clowns started focusing more on winning, and less on entertaining antics.
In the '53 season with the Clowns, Stone played 50 games, batting .243. During that stint, Stone is remembered for getting a hit off legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, as well as playing with Willie Mays and Ernie Banks.
Unfortunately, Stone's career with the Clowns didn't last very long. In 1954, her contract was sold to the Kansas City Monarchs, a solid team in the Negro Leagues. She didn't receive much playing time, and decided to retire after the '54 season.
