David Cone

David Brian Cone was born on January 2, 1963, in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended Rockhurst High School, where he excelled in football and basketball. Lacking a high school baseball team, Cone played summer ball in the Ban Johnson League. He was drafted by his hometown Kansas City Royals in the third round of the 1981 MLB draft. Cone began his professional baseball journey in the minor leagues, making his MLB debut with the Royals on June 8, 1986. Early in his career, he demonstrated significant talent, leading to a trade to the New York Mets before the 1987 season. With the Mets, Cone established himself as a prominent pitcher, leading the National League in strikeouts in 1990 and 1991. His time with the Mets included a notable 1988 season where he achieved a 20-3 record and a 2.22 ERA, finishing third in Cy Young Award voting. In the final game of the 1991 season, he tied a National League record by striking out 19 batters.

Cone’s career was marked by significant team and individual successes across several franchises. He joined the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992, contributing to their World Series championship that year. Returning to the Kansas City Royals for the 1993 and 1994 seasons, he earned the American League Cy Young Award in 1994. A pivotal move in his career came in 1995 when he joined the New York Yankees. With the Yankees, Cone became a key component of their dominant era, winning four World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. A highlight during this period was pitching the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history on July 18, 1999, at Yankee Stadium on “Yogi Berra Day.” After a brief stint with the Boston Red Sox in 2001, Cone attempted a comeback with the New York Mets in 2003 before retiring due to a chronic hip problem.

Following his retirement from playing, Cone transitioned into broadcasting. He became a color commentator for the New York Yankees on the YES Network and WPIX, and also for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. His analytical approach and detailed commentary, often incorporating sabermetric statistics, have made him a respected figure in baseball media. Beyond his sports career, Cone has engaged in public service, including testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2009 regarding Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court nomination. His autobiography, “Full Count: The Education of a Pitcher,” co-written with Jack Curry, became a New York Times Best Seller in 2019, reflecting on his extensive experience in professional baseball.