St. Louis Browns LHP Harry Brecheen was born on October 14, 1914 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. He would be the only player to make the Major Leagues out of Broken Bow, and one of the greatest left-handed pitchers to ever come from Oklahoma. By the time Harry Brecheen threw a single pitch for the Browns, he was already a St. Louis baseball lege
St. Louis Browns LHP Harry Brecheen was born on October 14, 1914 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. He would be the only player to make the Major Leagues out of Broken Bow, and one of the greatest left-handed pitchers to ever come from Oklahoma. By the time Harry Brecheen threw a single pitch for the Browns, he was already a St. Louis baseball legend as one of the greatest pitchers in St. Louis Cardinals history.
Harry Brecheen began his celebrated 19-year baseball career as a 20-year old prospect out of East Central University (1933-35). He would then spend eight years bouncing around the minor leagues that included time with the Greenville Buckshots (1935), Galveston Buccaneers (1935-36), Bartlesville Bucs (1936), Poertsmith Cubs (1937), Houston Buffaloes (1938-39), and Columbus Red Birds (1940-42). Brecheen would start the 1940 season with the Cardinals, but would not become a solid member of the pitching staff until 1943.
Within his 11 seasons as a Cardinal he would establish himself as the best pitcher of the 1940s. He would finish the decade in the top three of eight major pitching categories. He would finish first with 1,277 innings, 96 wins, 101 complete games, and 606 strikeouts, second with 22 shutouts and 1.17 WHiP, and third with a 2.75 ERA and a .241 opponent batting average. Harry Brecheen would be the first left-handed pitcher to win a World Series game in the 1944 "Streetcar Series". His 1948 campaign would be his career-year when he led the National League with 149 strikeouts and a 2.24 ERA. He would be a two-time National League All-Star (1947-48) and a Sporting News All-Star in 1948. His final season with the Cardinals came in 1952, when he tallied seven wins, with 54 strikeouts, and a 3.32 ERA.
The St. Louis Browns wasted no time acquiring "Harry the Cat" when the Cardinals released him on October 30, 1952. Brecheen joined a staff that included starters Don Larsen, Virgil Trucks, and Duane Pillette, and quickly established himself as the leader of the group. His five wins in his 26 starts was more of a reflection of the poor team around him than his pitching performance. He would strikeout 44 batters while walking just 31. His 3.07 ERA was the best on the staff and his 137 ERA+ was the fifth best mark he would have in his career.
Harry Brecheen would move to Baltimore when the team relocated in 1954. He would become the Orioles pitching coach from 1954-67, where he was key in mentoring pitchers like Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, and Milt Pappas. He was also responsible for extending the Hall of Fame careers of Hoyt Wilhelm and Robin Roberts.
Harry Brecheen is one of the best pitcher in the history of baseball in St. Louis. With most of his career in Cardinals' red, it is important that he had his final accomplishments in a Browns uniform.
DAILY HEADLINE
"BROWNS SIGN ST. LOUIS NATIVE, ROY SIEVERS, AS AN AMATEUR FREE AGENT"
TRANSACTIONS
1944 - Browns sign Roy Siever to an amateur free agent contract. A proud graduate of Beaumont High School in St. Louis, Sievers was one of the best baseball players to come out of St. Louis. With a signing bonus of a pair of baseball shoes, Sie
DAILY HEADLINE
"BROWNS SIGN ST. LOUIS NATIVE, ROY SIEVERS, AS AN AMATEUR FREE AGENT"
TRANSACTIONS
1944 - Browns sign Roy Siever to an amateur free agent contract. A proud graduate of Beaumont High School in St. Louis, Sievers was one of the best baseball players to come out of St. Louis. With a signing bonus of a pair of baseball shoes, Sievers would be drafted into the military and serve as an MP before beginning his career in 1947. Roy Sievers quickly became a crowd favorite and one of the best players in the game. He would win the inaugural American League Rookie of the Year award in 1949.
1952 - Browns traded OF Ray Coleman, RHP Bob Mahoney, SS Stan Rojek, and $95,000to the Brooklyn Dodgers for INF Billy Hunter. Hunter would become the everyday shortstop for the Browns in their last season in St. Louis. He would play in all 154 games for the Browns, recording 604 plate appearances in his rookie season. He would be named to his first, and only, All Star game in 1953. Cheers to Mr. Hunter as the last remaining 'Brownie' left on the roster.
The manager of the 1939 St. Louis Browns was the fiery Fred Haney. This was the first season as the manager of the Browns for Haney, and the first of three years as the on-field leader.
Prior to managing in St. Louis, Haney had spent three years as the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens reaching a 227-231 record. His fiery nature was shown in
The manager of the 1939 St. Louis Browns was the fiery Fred Haney. This was the first season as the manager of the Browns for Haney, and the first of three years as the on-field leader.
Prior to managing in St. Louis, Haney had spent three years as the manager of the Toledo Mud Hens reaching a 227-231 record. His fiery nature was shown in an on-field brawl he had on June 20, 1936. Haney and Burliegh Grimes (Louisville manager) got in a fight over third base, after Grimes continued to heckle Toledo pitchers.
Haney took the Browns managerial position, looking forward to build a winning team based around solid pitching. The 1939 staff did not have such a potent staff. It was beleived that Haney was the perfect manager to help motivate a team that had suffered through the down seasons of the 1930s. The team had a combination of young inexperienced players, and a few veterans that were not able to be traded.
Although the 43 win season was not the outcome that anyone saw coming. it was an outcome that was understandable with the players in the roster. The following seasons could only be an improvement.