February 11th
On This Date in History!
February 11, 1923: Shadow of Rickey Darkens Browns Future.
Sunny Jim Bottomley: He might've been
a Brown 1st, if not for Branch Rickey and
a guy named Sisler.
February 11, 1923. We'll never know for sure.
When the Browns lost Branch Rickey to the Cardinals over his titanic clash of egos with owner Phil Ball, the door was kicked open to play endless games of "what might have been" with the players he then signed and developed for the Cardinals. - Would Jim Bottomley have started his HOF career with the Browns, and not the Cardinals, had Rickey remained with the American League St. Louis club?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Bottomley would have found 1st base for the Browns a little occupied in 1922 by that fellow named "George," but maybe the Browns could've found a spot for him somewhere on the bench or in the outfield.
This much is clear: Many of the great future Cardinals would've been Browns, had Rickey not been forced to move around the corner to the Cardinals.
Aware of Sunny Jim's 1922 show of potential, Branch Rickey today sends 1st baseman Jack Fournier to the Brooklyn Robins in a trade for catcher Hy Myers. Bottomley, of course, will go on to a Hall of Fame career with the Cardinals, but he will join the Browns as one of several redbird-tail-enders who play until their wheels fall off - and then sign with the Browns. Bottomley will play the 1936 and 1937 seasons for the Browns, even taking over as manager in 1937 when the most famous redbird re-tread, Rogers Hornsby, is fired half way through the season.
What might have been - no matter where we apply that line of thought in life, it's a mind game with no reward. One of these days, I've gotta get over the Browns' loss of Branch Rickey to the Cardinals.
Births on February 11
Raymond C. "Ray" Boyd is born on February 11, 1887 in Hortonville, Indiana. The BR/TR pitcher reaches the majors on September 10, 1910. Boyd is with the 1910 Browns long enough to work in 3 games and pick up 0 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 4.40. The next year, Boyd is 2-2, with a 2.66 ERA for the 1911 Reds and is then gone for good with a 2-season career record of 2-4, 3.09. Thanks to that first season with the Browns, Boyd leaves the big leagues as a loser. - Ray Boyd will pass away in his birthplace of Hortonville on February 11, 1920 - sadly, on his 33rd birthday. BCT/GB, Ray Boyd!
Deaths on February 11
Raymond C. "Ray" Boyd (See "Births" above. Boyd died on his 33rd birthday in Hortonville, Indiana on February 11, 1920.)
Paul B. "Molly" Meloan dies on February 11, 1950 in Taft, California at the age of 61. The rarer BR/TL Washington University outfielder played 2 short years in the majors (1910-1911), starting with the White Sox and then going over to the Browns during the 1911 season. In 431 total AB's, Molly hit .253 with 3 HR's before he was gone for good. - Malone was born on August 23, 1888 in Paynesville, Missouri. - BCT/GB, Molly Meloan!
... Hmmm! ... What if Paul Meloan had married Yolanda Youpay!
Anthony John Grzeszkowski, aka "Bunny Brief" passes away on February 11, 1963 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the age of 71. The BR/TR 1st baseman/outfielder had a career befitting his adopted name. For the MLB years 1912-1913, 1915, 1917, Bunny Brief hit .223 with 5 HR's. His Browns years were 1912-1913. - The man with the long Polish name they called "Bunny Brief" was born on July 3, 1892 in Remus, Michigan.
Today's reference links ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm
http://www.todayinbaseballhistory.com/
February 11, 1923: Shadow of Rickey Darkens Browns Future.

Sunny Jim Bottomley: He might've been
a Brown 1st, if not for Branch Rickey and
a guy named Sisler.
February 11, 1923. We'll never know for sure.
When the Browns lost Branch Rickey to the Cardinals over his titanic clash of egos with owner Phil Ball, the door was kicked open to play endless games of "what might have been" with the players he then signed and developed for the Cardinals. - Would Jim Bottomley have started his HOF career with the Browns, and not the Cardinals, had Rickey remained with the American League St. Louis club?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Bottomley would have found 1st base for the Browns a little occupied in 1922 by that fellow named "George," but maybe the Browns could've found a spot for him somewhere on the bench or in the outfield.
This much is clear: Many of the great future Cardinals would've been Browns, had Rickey not been forced to move around the corner to the Cardinals.
Aware of Sunny Jim's 1922 show of potential, Branch Rickey today sends 1st baseman Jack Fournier to the Brooklyn Robins in a trade for catcher Hy Myers. Bottomley, of course, will go on to a Hall of Fame career with the Cardinals, but he will join the Browns as one of several redbird-tail-enders who play until their wheels fall off - and then sign with the Browns. Bottomley will play the 1936 and 1937 seasons for the Browns, even taking over as manager in 1937 when the most famous redbird re-tread, Rogers Hornsby, is fired half way through the season.
What might have been - no matter where we apply that line of thought in life, it's a mind game with no reward. One of these days, I've gotta get over the Browns' loss of Branch Rickey to the Cardinals.

Births on February 11
Raymond C. "Ray" Boyd is born on February 11, 1887 in Hortonville, Indiana. The BR/TR pitcher reaches the majors on September 10, 1910. Boyd is with the 1910 Browns long enough to work in 3 games and pick up 0 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 4.40. The next year, Boyd is 2-2, with a 2.66 ERA for the 1911 Reds and is then gone for good with a 2-season career record of 2-4, 3.09. Thanks to that first season with the Browns, Boyd leaves the big leagues as a loser. - Ray Boyd will pass away in his birthplace of Hortonville on February 11, 1920 - sadly, on his 33rd birthday. BCT/GB, Ray Boyd!
Deaths on February 11
Raymond C. "Ray" Boyd (See "Births" above. Boyd died on his 33rd birthday in Hortonville, Indiana on February 11, 1920.)
Paul B. "Molly" Meloan dies on February 11, 1950 in Taft, California at the age of 61. The rarer BR/TL Washington University outfielder played 2 short years in the majors (1910-1911), starting with the White Sox and then going over to the Browns during the 1911 season. In 431 total AB's, Molly hit .253 with 3 HR's before he was gone for good. - Malone was born on August 23, 1888 in Paynesville, Missouri. - BCT/GB, Molly Meloan!
... Hmmm! ... What if Paul Meloan had married Yolanda Youpay!

Anthony John Grzeszkowski, aka "Bunny Brief" passes away on February 11, 1963 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the age of 71. The BR/TR 1st baseman/outfielder had a career befitting his adopted name. For the MLB years 1912-1913, 1915, 1917, Bunny Brief hit .223 with 5 HR's. His Browns years were 1912-1913. - The man with the long Polish name they called "Bunny Brief" was born on July 3, 1892 in Remus, Michigan.
Today's reference links ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm
http://www.todayinbaseballhistory.com/
Comment