Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame
Athlete 1985 - 1988
Anthony St. John, class of 1988, is selected to the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame for his contributions in baseball.
St. John is the most prolific pitcher in Wildcat baseball history, but he did not come to Linfield as a pitcher.
"He came (from Damien Memorial High School in Honolulu) as a third baseman," coach Scott Carnahan recalls, "but he couldn't hit and he couldn't field."
So Carnahan, on a hunch, tried him at pitcher. It turned out to be one of his greatest coaching decisions.
St. John, a right-hander, was chosen Linfield's Most Valuable Pitcher by his teammates all four years and was chosen to the all-Northwest Conference team by opposing coaches each of his four seasons.
He was honored as co-Pitcher of the Year in the Northwest Conference in 1988 and also was named to the NAIA District 2 all-star team.
Almost two decades later, St. John still holds six Linfield career pitching records and ranks second or third in two other categories.
"He had an outstanding command of his pitches, especially his breaking ball," Carnahan says. "Tony had great presence and focus."
"He was such a competitor that he always wanted the ball."
"Tony's arm recovered quickly, and it was not unusual for him to start one game and finish another in the same weekend."
St. John's durability is evident in the career records he set (the first six still stand):
--Innings pitched: 347
--Batters faced: 1,552
--Appearances: 71
--Completed games: 31
--Wins: 30
--Shutouts: 7
--Games started: 43 (now ranks second)
--Strikeouts: 209 (now ranks third)
Along the way, he set single-season records of 21 appearances, 115 1/3 innings pitched, 500 batters faced, 14 games started, 11 complete games, and five saves, all in 1988.
After a two-year fling at professional baseball, St. John finished his Linfield degree as a health major and returned to Honolulu, where he still resides and sells stone countertops and flooring.
