Bone to be inducted into St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame!!!
Long time Festus Post 253 manager Pat Bone will be inducted into the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. Bone, a former 253 star as a player, played collegiately at Waldorf College - where he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2010 - and Florida International University before being selected by the New York Yankees in the 18th round of 1981 MLB draft.
Bone and 2012 St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Billy Pruneau took over in 1991 and the program reached new heights almost immediately, beginning with a 3rd place finish at the American Legion State Tournament that same year. Bone's 1996 team captured the program's first state title defeating Ozark, MO twice on the final day to advance to the Great Lakes Regional in Midland, Michigan. Another state title would follow in 2005, as this edition of the 253 swept through the state tournament on the way to a third place finish at the Mid-South Regional in Pine Bluff Arkansas, where the 253 lost to eventual national champion Enid, Oklahoma and 2006 national champion Metairie, Louisiana.
Three seasons later, Bone would lead the 253 on a run unseen in Missouri American Legion Baseball history since World War II. Bone's 2009 team raced out to a 17-0 start to the season on the way to sweeping through the district, zone and state tournaments unscathed. At the Central Plains Regional in Minnetonka, Minnesota, the team defeated Pittsburgh, Kansas, twice on the final day to advance to the program's first American Legion World Series. The 253 started the tournament by defeating North Carolina 5-4 on the way to a 5th place finish. In 2010, Bone and the 253 picked up right where they left off, advancing to the state tournament in Sedalia, Missouri, and dominating Blue Springs Fike twice on the final day to advance to the Mid-South Regional in Blue Springs, Missouri. The 253 advanced to the championship round, defeating eventual national runner-up Eden Prairie, Minnesota, in the first championship game before falling in a winner-take-all final. The 2011 season saw a largely new core of players, but Bone's continued presence helped an inexperienced group continue the historic run. After coming all the way through the loser's bracket to win the District 13 tournament, the 2011 addition of the 253 defeated Dunklin County, Missouri, in a winner-take-all championship game to advance to the State Tournament. A third consecutive state championship would follow in Sedalia, as Bone's team defeated Washington, Missouri, to advance to the Mid-South Regional in Menden, Louisiana.
Bone would retire following the 2011 season after 21 seasons at the helm of one of the most successful American Legion Baseball programs in the country. During this time, the program amassed 16 District 13 titles, 8 Zone 4 titles, 5 State Championships, and a Central Plains Regional Championship. Under Bone's direction, the 253 sent over 100 players on to the collegiate level and another half dozen to the professional ranks, including 2009 Bob Fellar Award winner Matt Stites to Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.
Bone is the husband of longtime 253 super-mom Patricia Bone, father of current 253 manager Zac Bone and current Missouri Tiger Logan Bone, and son of Fern and Ron Bone, who is also a member of the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bone and 2012 St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Billy Pruneau took over in 1991 and the program reached new heights almost immediately, beginning with a 3rd place finish at the American Legion State Tournament that same year. Bone's 1996 team captured the program's first state title defeating Ozark, MO twice on the final day to advance to the Great Lakes Regional in Midland, Michigan. Another state title would follow in 2005, as this edition of the 253 swept through the state tournament on the way to a third place finish at the Mid-South Regional in Pine Bluff Arkansas, where the 253 lost to eventual national champion Enid, Oklahoma and 2006 national champion Metairie, Louisiana.
Three seasons later, Bone would lead the 253 on a run unseen in Missouri American Legion Baseball history since World War II. Bone's 2009 team raced out to a 17-0 start to the season on the way to sweeping through the district, zone and state tournaments unscathed. At the Central Plains Regional in Minnetonka, Minnesota, the team defeated Pittsburgh, Kansas, twice on the final day to advance to the program's first American Legion World Series. The 253 started the tournament by defeating North Carolina 5-4 on the way to a 5th place finish. In 2010, Bone and the 253 picked up right where they left off, advancing to the state tournament in Sedalia, Missouri, and dominating Blue Springs Fike twice on the final day to advance to the Mid-South Regional in Blue Springs, Missouri. The 253 advanced to the championship round, defeating eventual national runner-up Eden Prairie, Minnesota, in the first championship game before falling in a winner-take-all final. The 2011 season saw a largely new core of players, but Bone's continued presence helped an inexperienced group continue the historic run. After coming all the way through the loser's bracket to win the District 13 tournament, the 2011 addition of the 253 defeated Dunklin County, Missouri, in a winner-take-all championship game to advance to the State Tournament. A third consecutive state championship would follow in Sedalia, as Bone's team defeated Washington, Missouri, to advance to the Mid-South Regional in Menden, Louisiana.
Bone would retire following the 2011 season after 21 seasons at the helm of one of the most successful American Legion Baseball programs in the country. During this time, the program amassed 16 District 13 titles, 8 Zone 4 titles, 5 State Championships, and a Central Plains Regional Championship. Under Bone's direction, the 253 sent over 100 players on to the collegiate level and another half dozen to the professional ranks, including 2009 Bob Fellar Award winner Matt Stites to Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.
Bone is the husband of longtime 253 super-mom Patricia Bone, father of current 253 manager Zac Bone and current Missouri Tiger Logan Bone, and son of Fern and Ron Bone, who is also a member of the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.