Frank Baker (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Frank Baker | ||
| Date of birth | 22 October 1918 | ||
| Place of birth | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Date of death | 10 December 1989 (aged 71) | ||
| Place of death | Stoke-on-Trent, England | ||
| Playing position | Outside-left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1935–1936 | Port Vale | 0 | (0) |
| 1936–1949 | Stoke City | 162 | (32) |
| 1949–1951 | Stafford Rangers | ||
| 1951–1953 | Leek Town | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Frank Baker (22 October 1918 – 10 December 1989) was a footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke City. He made 174 appearances for Stoke, scoring 33 goals.
Baker was born in Stoke-on-Trent and earned his living driving a laundry van, whilst playing for Port Vale's reserves as an amateur. His performances for Vale's second string caught the attention for Wolverhampton Wanderers and on one evening manager Frank Buckley was due to travel to Vale to sign Baker. But Stoke City manager Bob McGrory caught wind of the potential transfer and arrived earlier and persuaded Baker to sign for Stoke instead. He spent the 1936–37 season in Stoke's reserves, making only the occasional first team appearance due to England international Joe Johnson occupying left-wing position. But he managed to get his chance one match into the 1937–38 season as Johnson injured his ankle and Baker took full advantage. He linked up well with his centre forward Freddie Steele providing him with many crosses and he also chipped in with 12 goals and scored a further 10 in 1938–39. He was called up for army duty in 1939 and therefore played few matches for Stoke in the War League, although he did guest for Sunderland and Northern Irish club Linfield. He played for Stoke against Bolton Wanderers during the Burnden Park disaster on 9 March 1946, and broke down in tears on the final whistle.
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