Stephen Stepanovich Rachunok (a.k.a. "the Mad Russian") (December 5, 1916 – May 11, 2002), was an American professional baseball

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

for the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

. A native of

Rittman, Ohio Rittman is a city in Medina and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. All but a small portion of the city is in Wayne County, within commuting distance of Akron, Canton and Cleveland. The population was 6,131 at the 2020 census. Geography ...

, Rachunok appeared in two games during the 1940 season, one as a starter, where he pitched a complete game. His Major League Baseball (MLB) debut came on September 17, 1940, where he pitched the top of the ninth inning, surrendering 1 walk while striking out 1 as the Dodgers were defeated 5–0 by the visiting

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush, Brooklyn, Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the History of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers baseball tea ...

. His only other MLB appearance came 9 days later in the second game of a doubleheader at Ebbets Field when facing the

Boston Bees The Boston Braves were a Major League Baseball club that originated in Boston, Massachusetts, and played from 1871 to 1952. Afterwards they moved to Milwaukee (and became the Milwaukee Braves). Then in 1966 they were relocated to Atlanta, whe ...

surrendering 5 runs (all earned), striking out 9, while walking 4, en route to a 5–4 loss. Rachunok died on May 11, 2002, in

Corona, California Corona (Spanish language, Spanish for "Crown") is a city in northwestern Riverside County, California, United States, directly bordering Orange County, California, Orange and San Bernardino County, California, San Bernardino counties. Its curre ...

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Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Wayne County, Ohio Brooklyn Dodgers players People from Rittman, Ohio 1916 births 2002 deaths Jackson Senators players Beaumont Exporters players Lake Charles Skippers players Sioux City Cowboys players Henderson Oilers players Montreal Royals players Indianapolis Indians players Baseball players from Medina County, Ohio 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-baseball-pitcher-1910s-stub