This Date in Browns History!

[Bill_McCurdy]

August 29th

August 29, 1951: "Lowly Browns?" Must They Always Use That Phrase? The Yankees pick on the lowly Browns for a 15–2 win at Sportsman's Park. Mickey Mantle has four RBIs including a three run homer in the 9th off Satchel Paige. Ned Garver (15-9) is the loser.

That's OK. Garver will go 5 and 3 from today, including a win on the last day of the season that will give him a 20-12 record for a last place Browns club that finishes with 52 wins and 102 losses. Mr. Garver is no lowly Brown in '51, and neither is old Satchel. - Paige is still out there hurling heat at an age when many of us are throwing our backs out picking up the morning paper in the front yard.

a Satchel Paige link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ge_Satchel.stm

a Ned Garver link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Garver_Ned.stm

August 29, 1947: Hutch Stages "Unkind to Kinder" Day. In St. Louis, Freddie Hutchinson does it all for the Detroit Tigers. He whips the St. Louis Browns, 5–4, on the mound, but he doesn't stop there. After tripling against Ellis Kinder in the 3rd, Hutch takes advantage of the pitcher's big windup to swipe home. He also adds a single.

an Ellis Kinder link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...nder_Ellis.stm

August 29, 1927: The Bad News Browns. In St. Louis, the New York Yankees win their 18th game against the St. Louis Browns without a loss, 8-3. What was the name of that movie from years ago? Oh yeah. It was a film called "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" :atthepc

August 29, 1916: Dog Day Afternoon. The St. Louis Browns top the Boston Red Sox, 5–3, with Babe Ruth pitching five innings of relief before leaving with the sacks full. Ruth also fans with the bases loaded.

August 29, 1915: "More Powerful Than a Locomotive." George Sisler again pitches against Walter "Big Train" Johnson of the Washington Senators and this time wins, 2–1. Sisler will be 4–4 for the Browns in 1915 and 1–2 in 1916 before moving permanently to first base. Sisler is helped in the 8th inning today when Brownie second baseman Del Pratt fools pinch runner Horace Milan, in his big league debut, with the old (even then) hidden ball trick. Horace is the brother of teammate Clyde "Deerfoot" Milan.

a Del Pratt link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb.../Pratt_Del.stm

General Reference Link for Today's Facts ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

August 30th

August 30, 1954: BoSox Match Futility of '27 Browns. Less than a year from the date they breathed their last, the late St. Louis Browns lose sole possession of an ignoble record in team submission today. The '54 Cleveland Indians complete an 11-home-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox, the first such sweep since the New York Yankees blanked the St. Louis Browns at Yankee Stadium back in 1927.

August 30, 1916: Browns Held Hitless. Following his previous start, when he lasted one-third of an inning against St. Louis, Hubert "Dutch" Leonard of the Red Sox no-hits the Browns 4–0. No batters reach base until catcher Hank Severeid walks with two outs in the 8th. The win stops first-place Boston's losing streak of four games.

a Hank Severeid Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ereid_Hank.stm

August 30, 1912: Browns Win a No-No. Lefty Earl Hamilton, 22, pitches a no-hitter in the St. Louis Browns' 5–1 win over the Detroit Tigers. Leave it to The Georgia Peach to find a way rain on a perfect day. With some inept fielding help from the Browns, Ty Cobb scores on an error after a walk to spoil the shutout.

A Curious Reference Note: Baseball Library.Com reports Hamilton's game in this way: August 30, 1912: Lefty Earl Hamilton, 22, pitches his only shutout of the year, a no-hitter in the Browns' 5–1 win over Detroit. Ty Cobb scores on an error after a walk. Look, there's no way Hamilton gets credit for "his only shutout of the year" when the final score is 5-1. Maybe they meant to say he pitched the only game of the year in which he did not give up an earned run.

Hey, Baseball Library.Com! - Go look up the definition of "shutout."

What we wouldn't all give for immediate and no-cost internet access to every game report and box score in baseball history. - The other side of not having that access is that now, at least, we still have time for other things. A fellow could get lost in such a cornucopia of free and easy baseball data. :atthepc

Today's Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

An Earl Hamilton link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ilton_Earl.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

August 31st

August 31, 1946: A Changing of The Guard. Luke Sewell quits as manager of the St. Louis Browns. Zack Taylor will finish the '46 season as the club's interim field leader.

a Luke Sewell link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ewell_Luke.stm

a Zach Taylor link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...aylor_Zack.stm

August 31, 1916: Browns Best Ruth. The St. Louis Browns beat the Boston Red Sox and Babe Ruth today, 2–1. Ruth collects two hits and scores the lone run for Boston, but he also pops out to end the game.

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 1st

September 1, 1930: Ferrell Streaks By Browns. Wes Ferrell of the Cleveland Indians defeats the St. Louis Browns, 9-5, for his 13th straight pitching victory. (reference: notation from "On This Date" in today's Houston Chronicle.)

September 1, 1920: Browns Foil Faber, Soil White Sox. With the Chicago White Sox playing this late season game with a makeshift lineup, the Windy City boys take an early 3–0 lead over the St. Louis Browns. The Browns quickly rally, however, knocking out Red Faber in the 3rd inning and going on to win the contest, 8–6. As a result, the Cleveland Indians take a 2-game lead over the defending AL champion White Sox.

September 1, 1918: "Don't You Know There's A War On?" - Cleveland. The St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers finish the war-abbreviated 1918 season with a doubleheader split in St. Louis after the Cleveland Indians refuse to make the trip for the Labor Day doubleheader. Detroit wins the opener, 7-2. In the second game, things really get recreational for the two "let's get it over with" clubs. Ty Cobb pitches two innings against the Browns while the George Sisler pitches one scoreless inning for the Browns. The Browns win, 6–2, as Sisler hits a double off of Cobb in this downhill run to the off-season.

No information is given about the reasons behind the Cleveland refusal to make their final trip to St. Louis. I am presuming it had to do with World War I, the war-shortened season, the fact it was a meaningless game, and the probability that the scheduled doubleheader with the Browns was a money losing prospect. I'm also presuming that the Detroit Tigers were already in St. Louis and had no place else to go.

All that being said, this incident raises numerous questions: Were the Indians penalized in any way for their refusal to play out the schedule? Beyond the fact it was a pay-day, how did the American League justify the makeup DH between the Browns and Tigers?

These two games apparently counted in the standings and statistics for the Browns and Tigers, leaving us to consider a slight taint upon the sacred book of book records. Next time you consider the incredible batting average of the great George Sisler, you will have to keep in mind too that he got at least one of his career hits off a pitcher named Ty Cobb. :atthepc

Today's Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 2nd

September 2, 1951: Tribe Does Back-To-Back-To-Back Job on Browns. The Cleveland Indians' Harry Simpson, Al Rosen and Luke Easter crush consecutive home runs in the first inning, as the Cleveland Indians go on to beat the St. Louis Browns, 5–1.

September 2, 1935: Love That Rajah. Veteran pitcher Dick Coffman (5-11) and Browns manager Rogers Hornsby get into a shoving match shortly after their train leaves St. Louis for a road trip. Coffman is cut from the team on the spot and put off the train at Edwardsville, Illinois. He will not play again this year. As a result of this (ahem!) management-labor dispute, the New York Giants will purchase veteran Coffman from the Browns a couple of months later. Coffman, who definitely was on the outs with Browns manager Rogers Hornsby after his fight on the train, will go 24–14 over the next four years for New York.

... a Dick Coffman link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ffman_Dick.stm

September 2, 1922: Sisler Streak Goes On. At Detroit, the St. Louis Browns win their second game in a row over the Tigers, 5–4. Hub Pruett allows three hits in four innings to win in relief. George Sisler hits in his 30th consecutive game.

... a Hub Pruett link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Pruett_Hub.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 3rd

September 3, 2004: Littlefield Has Little Luck. Dick Littlefield of the St. Louis Browns two-hits the Chicago White Sox, but he learns on the rockpile of franchise luck that even a pitcher with an ERA of 1.00 can't win a game, if his own team doesn't score. Final Today: White Sox 1 - Browns 0. :gt

... a Dick Littlefield link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...field_Dick.stm

September 3, 1944: Browns Fight Slump Behind Kramer. After losing 13 of 17 games and dropping from first place, the St. Louis Browns turn back their principal rival, the Detroit Tigers, behind Jack Kramer. Two days later, neither St. Louis nor Detroit is at the American League top. In a move that appears to be just another page from the same old story, the New York Yankees come from out of the blue to capture first place. On this date, the satisfied Yankees are unaware that they are fighting a losing battle with baseball destiny.

... a Jack Kramer link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ramer_Jack.stm

September 3, 1920: This Looks Like A Job for Sislerman. The St. Louis Browns slug their way to a 16–7 win over the Chicago White Sox. George Sisler has three hits on the day, collecting his 257th hit of the season to set a major league record. His four total bases today also gives him a major-league record of 399 for the year. Sisler throws in three stolen bases and, giving in to the demands of the fans, George also hurls a scoreless 9th inning in relief, striking out 2.

Let's see, how does that old radio show lead-in go. Oh yeah, ... "faster than a speeding bullet, ... more powerful than a locomotive. ... able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, ..."

September 3, 1906: Cobb "Error" Leads to Browns Victory. Ty Cobb is back in the Detroit Tiger lineup for the first time in six weeks. He has a single and a steal, but he misplays a Charlie Hemphill flyball into a home run for the Browns, and the Tigers lose, 1-0, to Barney Pelty of St. Louis. Rain stops the game after seven innings.

Again, I wish we had pictures and words to *show & tell* us what happened on Cobb's "misplay." One of baseball's historic curiosities is its often arbitrary ability to make distinctions between fielding misplays and fielding errors. How a questionable play is ruled makes a big difference in the statistics of the batter, the fielder, and the pitcher. I also wonder how many other people out there this morning are wishing that they had ESPN's coverage on a game played 98 years ago today. :atthepc

... a Charlie Hemphill link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ll_Charlie.stm

... a Barney Pelty link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...lty_Barney.stm

... General Reference Link for Today's Facts ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 4th

September 4, 1922: Browns Sweep Tribe As Sisler Rolls On. At home in Sportsman's Park, the St. Louis Browns win decisively, thrashing the Cleveland Indians, 10–3 and 13–2, in a split-gate doubleheader. Urban Shocker wins his 23rd in the morning game and Ken Williams crunches his 33rd home run of the season. George Sisler is 4-for-4 in the opener and 3-for-5 in second game to run his hitting streak to 34 straight games. Vangilder is the winner in the afternoon-cap.

... an Urban Shocker link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...cker_Urban.stm

... a Ken Williams link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ams_Ken233.stm

September 4, 1920: Collins Streaks Against Browns in DH: Eddie Collins has two hits in the second game of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns as the Chicago White Sox win, 5–2. Collins has hit safely since August 21. He will ring up a 22-game hitting streak through September 13.

September 4, 1917: 8 in 8th Paces ChiSox By Browns. The rampaging Chicago White Sox use an 8-run 8th inning to defeat the St. Louis Browns, 13–6. Red Faber is the winner over reliever Tom Rogers.

... a Tom Rogers link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Rogers_Tom.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 5th

September 5, 1935: BoSox Rally Past Browns. Trailing the St. Louis Browns, 5–1, Lefty Grove of the Boston Red Sox is lifted for pinch-hitter Wes Ferrell. Ferrell comes through for the Bostons by slamming an RBI single as the Red Sox go on to score six runs in the 6th inning enroute to a 9-5 win. As luck, more than deservedness, would have it on this afternoon, Lefty Grove is the winning pitcher.

On the subject of our system for awarding wins and losses to pitchers, you have to take that statistic with a grain of salt. Just don't count on it ever changing much. The sacred Hall of Fame pitching win list is based upon the way baseball has been crediting and blaming pitchers for over 100 years. No one is going to seriously touch it. In the long meanwhile, we shall continue to watch games that no pitcher deserves to win or lose. :atthepc

September 5, 1922: Here Come The Browns (For Now)! The St. Louis Browns take over 1st place in the American League today by beating the Cleveland Indians, 10–9. Urban Shocker wins his 23rd in relief. Sadly, he shall win no more beyonf this day. In the game, Ken Williams of the Browns hits his 34th home run of the season, a grand slam.

September 5, 1921: Indians Halt Shocker Win Streak; Tribe's Smith Sets A Record. St. Louis Browns pitcher Urban Shocker takes his first loss after winning nine in a row. Elmer Smith of the Cleveland Indians has two home runs to pace a 10–5 Indians win in a morning game. Guy Morton is the winning pitcher for the Tribe.

In the afternoon game, a 12–8 St. Louis win, Smith starts off with another one homer. Having hit one in Detroit the day before, Smith has seven straight extra base hits in three games - a big league record—for 22 total bases (3 doubles, four home runs + two walks). Earl Sheehy, in 1926, will seven long hits in just two games—a ML record—but he will sandwich those around a sacrifice fly.

September 5, 1915: Sisler Homers In Losing Mound Start. George Sisler pitches the first game of a doubleheader for the St. Louis Browns against the Detroit Tigers. He gives up six runs and loses the game, 6-5. Sisler did homer in his own losing cause. - Hmmm! Maybe the Browns should simply think about giving this young pitcher Sisler a chance to play everyday.

Today's General Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 6th

September 6, 1948: Use 'Em 'Fore You Lose 'Em. The Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Browns set an American League mark by using 37 players in their game. It must have been either "Captain Hook Day" or "I'll Show Everybody I'm a Genius Manager Day" at the old ballpark.

September 6, 1924: They Don't Make Arms Like They Used To. Urban Shocker of the St. Louis Browns hurls both games of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. He completes both games, winning each by identical scores of 6-2. He strikes out only batter in the two games, and that may be a partial clue to solving the mystery of how some pitchers could do the iron-man routine in the early 20th century. By getting the batters to make contact outs early in the pitch count, a fellow might pitch all day and into the twilight.

September 6, 1913: Rickey Takes Over As Browns Manager. Jimmy Austin is replaced as interim manager of the St. Louis Browns by Branch Rickey. Austin (2-6) had taken over briefly for George Stovall (50-84) about a week earler. Rickey (5-6) takes over now to finish the season, but with an eye to the future. Rickey will go on to manage the Browns to a 71-82 record in 1914 before dipping to a 63-91 mark in 1915 and ending The Mahatma's career as a field general. What's the lesson here? I don't know. Maybe it's best summed up as: Incompetence 2 - Genius 0.

... a George Stovall link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...all_George.stm

... a Jimmy Austin link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...stin_Jimmy.stm

... a Branch Rickey link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...key_Branch.stm

September 6, 1902: They Oughta Name An Award for Him. The Boston Red Sox defeat the St. Louis Browns today, 6-5, as pitcher Cy Young wins his 30th game of the year. He will win two more to close the 1902 season with a 32-11 record. Young, of course, will go on to finish his career with 511 wins through his last season of 1911. No wonder his career wins record may last forever. In 1902 alone, Cy Young started 43 games, completed 41, and also made two relief appearances. Can you think of any pitcher today who could come close to the 384.2 innings that Cy Young worked in 1902? For that matter, can you possibly think of a club out there today who would even let one of their pitchers try?

As we so often remind ourselves, it's a different game today. Cy Young's career wins record is as much a testament to that difference as it is to his pitching ability. Cy Young was baseball's testimony to the concept of Labor Day. There were more than a few underpaid and overworked laborers toiling away at record paces in America's growing industrial furnace in those days too. :atthepc

Today's General Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

Happy Labor Day, Everybody!

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 7th

September 7, 1889: Not OUR Browns. For those who still haven't heard the news, the 19th century club that played in the American Association as the "St. Louis Browns" was not our beloved franchise. They simply broke in our nickname for us until the real Browns came along in 1902 to start playing their way to a half century of almost pure ignominy. The 19th century version of the Browns would find a new nickname and live to face a different history in the National League as the "St. Louis Cardinals." In the absence of any easy reporting this morning on what happened in our Browns club history on Sept. 7th, here's a funny report on something that did go wrong for our earlier nicknamed counterparts on an 1889 day in Brooklyn. :atthepc

In the most controversial game in American Association history, the St. Louis Browns (later Cardinals) walk off the field in Brooklyn while leading 4–2 in the 9th inning. They claim it is too dark to play, but the lighted candles in front of their bench by club owner Chris Von der Ahe make umpire Fred Goldsmith determined to finish the game no matter what. Several St. Louis players are hit with bottles as they leave the grounds.

Today's Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 8th

September 8, 1922: The Day The Pennant Music Died. The New York Yankees go back on top of the American League pennant race, this time to stay, beating the Senators, 8–1, behind Carl Mays. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Browns lose to Detroit, 8–3. New York's win is triggered by Wally Pipp's 6th inning 3-run homer off Walter Johnson, the 2nd homer Wally has dinged off the Senator's ace in nine days.

The Detroit Tigers beat the Browns, 8–3, on Bobby Veach's two homers off Urban Shocker. First baseman Lu Blue pulls off two unassisted DPs, tying the American League record, and both are off line drives by Johnny Tobin.

September 8, 1917: Browns Players Sue Owner For Slander. Following yesterday's loss to the Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Browns owner Phil Ball accuses his players of laying down on the job because they dislike manager Fielder Jones. Browns shortstop Doc Lavan and seconf baseman Del Pratt sue owner Ball for $50,000 damages over his alleged slanderous statements in St. Louis newspapers. Both players are in the lineup today, however, when the Detroit Tigers edge the Browns, 1–0 in 12 innings. Ty Cobb triples off the right fence in the 12th and then scores the winning run on a sac fly.

No report on the weather for September 8, 1917, but the skies were pretty dark for managment and labor on this day in Browns history. :gt

,,, a Phil Ball link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...deCateesby.stm

... a Fielder Jones link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...es_Fielder.stm

... a Doc Lavan link ...http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb.../Lavan_Doc.stm

... a Del Pratt link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb.../Pratt_Del.stm

Today's General Reference link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 9th

September 9, 1945: Fowler No-Hits Browns. Dick Fowler of the Philadelphia Athletics returns from 3 years with the Canadian Army and pitches a no-hitter, walking 4 and beating the St. Louis Browns, 1-0, in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. A triple by Hal Peck leads to the winning run in the 9th. It is Fowler's first start since his return and his first major league shutout. The no-hitter is the first by an Athletic since 1916.

September 9, 1928: Shocker Dead at 38. At age 38, Yankee pitcher and former Brown Urban Shocker dies of pneumonia in Denver, where he had gone for his health. Only now does it become known that he had suffered from an enlarged heart and was unable to sleep lying down for two years. Shocker, who never had a losing season, was 18-6 in 1927 but appeared in only one game in 1928. In 1922, Shocker was 24-17 for the Browns club that lost out to the Yankees by a single game.

Quiz: What happens to players who become Yankee-Beaters?
Answer: Eventually, they become Yankees.

... an Urban Shocker link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...cker_Urban.stm

September 9, 1922: Baby Doll Leads Browns Past Tigers. Baby Doll Jacobson collects three triples to lead the St. Louis Browns to a 16–0 whitewash of the Detroit Tigers. The victory, the most lopsided in Browns' history, goes to pitcher Elam Vangilder. St. Louis totals 20 hits with Ken Williams hitting a homer in his 5th straight game, his 37th of the year. Sisler has three hits to keep his hit streak alive, as the Browns keep pace with the New York Yankees, who were winners in 10 innings against Washington.

... a Baby Doll Jacobson link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb..._Baby_Doll.stm

... an Elam Vangilder link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ilder_Elam.stm

September 9, 1909: Browns Release Dineen. Bill Dinneen, winner of three games in the first World Series as a member of the Boston Red Sox, is released today by the St. Louis Browns. Dineen becomes an American League umpire, a position he will hold through 1937.

... a Bill Dineen link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ineen_Bill.stm

Today's General Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 10, 1935: Browns Extend Mack-Men Misery. The St. Louis Browns take an 8–6 win over the Philadelphia Athletics, handing the Mack-Men their 13th straight loss. Jimmie Foxx is 2-for-3 for the A's, while Tom Carey and Ed Coleman each have three hits for the Browns. For Coleman, it was a nice day against his former club. Coleman came over to the Browns from the A's, along with pitcher Merritt "Sugar" Cain, in a May 21st trade for pitcher George Blaeholder.

... a Tom Carey link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb.../Carey_Tom.stm

... an Ed Coleman link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Coleman_Ed.stm

... a Sugar Cain link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Cain_Sugar.stm

... a Geroge Blaeholder link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...der_George.stm

September 10, 1926: Browns Halt McCurdy Streak. In the St. Louis Browns' 5–4 win over the Chicago White Sox, pitcher Win Ballou stops catcher Harry McCurdy's consecutive game hitting streak at 10. Win also wins.

... a Win Ballou link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Ballou_Win.stm

... a Harry McCurdy link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...urdy_Harry.stm

September 10, 1908: Browns In Hunt, But Falling Fast. The Detroit Tigers take their 2nd straight extra-inning game from the Chicago White Sox by a score of 6-5 in 11 innings. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Indians are beating up on the St. Louis Browns, 5-2. The American League race now looks like this:

Detroit 75-52 *
Chicago 72-57 (4 games behind)
St. Louis 71-57 (4.5 games behind)

* The Tigers are well on their way to becoming the last club that will fall to the Chicago Cubs in a World Series. It's now been 96 years since the Cubs defeated the Tigers in the 1908 Fall Classic. At least the Cubs won it, once upon a time. Our dearly departed Browns never did. Now it's too late for any kind of change that might

... Today's General Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 11th

September 11, 1927: Browns Avoid Season Sweep By NY. After losing 21 games in a row to the New York Yankees, the St. Louis Browns win their last meeting, 6-2, behind Milt Gaston's 5-hitter. No team has ever swept a 22-game season series. One National League team, the 1909 Cubs, went 21-1 against the Braves.

a personal note: On January 27, 1996, Milt Gaston celebrated his 100th birthday. Some time after the fact, I sent him a card, a letter, and a baseball that I asked him to sign for me, if possible. I didn't hear anything for weeks. Since I'd told Milt that he could just keep the baseball, if signing and sending it back was too big a deal, I just assumed that my request was too much for the 100 year old former Brown and didn't worry about it. My main reason for writing was to let him know that there are still those of us out here who honor the Browns, sometimes especially those who played before our time. When the news came on April 26, 1996 that Milt Gaston had passed away, most of us were saddened, but unsurprised. The man had made it to 100 with a few months to spare and was ready to go. What more could anyone ask of life at that age.

Here comes the spooky part. I still get goose bumps thinking about it. A few days later, I received a raggedly wrapped baseball box. It was the same box that I had sent to Milt Gaston weeks earlier. When I opened the box, there was the ball, with Milt Gaston's shaky signature scrawled upon it, and that wasn't all. Milt had signed a photo of himself in a Browns uniform, and then folded the photo and stuffed it into the box with the baseball. And this all happened within days after Milt Gaston's passing. I couldn't tell when the package had been mailed because it was pretty beat up upon arrival. It just made me feel that Milt Gaston had appreciated my reaching out to him. The package came with no note, just the two signed items. It was addressed in the same shaky hand that signed the ball, and it had been sealed with strange looking tape that looked as though it had been torn from its container. It may have been the last baseball that Milt Gaston ever signed. I guess he signed it. I like to think that signing and sending that ball and picture back to me was just part of Milt Gaston's last unfinished business with an old fan. Like "Ruth's Called Shot," that's the way this little personal baseball miracle plays out in my mind, even if I never know the whole truth about how this happened. All I can tell you for sure is this: it's a very chilling experience to get mail from someone you know is already dead.

Congratulations, Milt! Today's the anniversary of that time you stopped the '27 Yankees from sweeping the season series with our Browns.

... a Milt Gaston link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...aston_Milt.stm

... one more Gaston link ... http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gastomi01.shtml

September 11, 1922: Browns Survive Tiger Attack. The St. Louis Browns are down, 4–3, to the Detroit Tigers in the 9th, but a walk and a George Sisler triple ties the game. Marty McManus then lines a single to win it, 5–4, for reliever Hub Pruett. Unfortunately, Sisler falls on his shoulder in the 7th while stretching for a ball, but he stays in the game in spite of the painful injury.

... a George Sisler link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...ler_George.stm

... a Marty McManus link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...anus_Marty.stm

... a Hub Pruett link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Pruett_Hub.stm

September 11, 1912: Who Would Get The "L" Today? In St. Louis, Browns starter Jack Powell leaves after seven innings, losing 3–0 to the New York Highlanders. Reliever George Baumgartner gives up two more runs in the 8th, but the Browns score four in the bottom of the inning to cut the losing margin to 5–4. The New York Times reports the loss to Baumgartner, who pitched poorly. :noidea Will baseball ever come up with a unifom rule about the "W" and "L" pitching awards in games like this one? By today's standards, Powell would have been assigned the "L."

September 11, 1907: Brown's Blanked. Chicago's Doc White blanks the Browns, 2-0. However, his one base on balls ends his AL record run of 65 1/3 IP without issuing a walk. He will win a career high 27 games and walk only 38 in 291 innings pitched.

September 11, 1905: Browns Buy Jake Powell. The New York Highlanders sell workhorse pitcher Jack Powell (8-13) to the St. Louis Browns. Powell won 23 games in 1904, pitching 390 1/3 innings.

... a Jake Powell link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...owell_Jack.stm

[Bill_McCurdy]

September 12th

September 12, 1908: Browns Lose Again. In the dogfight for the American League pennant, the Chicago White Sox play their 4th straight extra-inning game at Detroit, a feat that now totals 43 innings. The White Sox win their 2nd straight over the Tigers, while the St. Louis Browns lose their 2nd in a row to the Cleveland Indians.

In spite of the fact that they are falling out of the race and headed toward a 4th place finish, the Browns are on their way to the best attendance year in their seven year history. The Browns' final gate of 618,947 will triple the tab for the 1908 National League Cardinals. It is 1908, and the future of the St. Louis Browns is looking good.

... Attendance Reference ... see the new subject thread in this forum that is dedicated to a year-by-year comparison of Browns and Cardinals attendance over the course of their half century of competition in St. Louis (1902-53).

... Today's Reference Link ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...logy/today.stm