St. Louis Browns left-handed pitcher Howard Mills was born on May 12, 1910 in Dedham, Massachusetts. "Lefty" Mills would spend most of his baseball career within the Browns organization. His story leading up to his professional baseball career is both incredible and inspiring.
Howard Mills didn't grow up playing baseball. It has been writ
St. Louis Browns left-handed pitcher Howard Mills was born on May 12, 1910 in Dedham, Massachusetts. "Lefty" Mills would spend most of his baseball career within the Browns organization. His story leading up to his professional baseball career is both incredible and inspiring.
Howard Mills didn't grow up playing baseball. It has been written that he never played any youth sports. After completing two years of high school, Mills joined the US Navy in June of 1928. He would spend time at the Newport Naval Station (Rhode Island) and the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, before being assigned to the Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. He would re-enlist in 1931 and be assigned to the USS Lexington which patrolled between San Pedro California and the Hawaiian Islands. Mills began to notice the special privileges granted to baseball players in the service. Wanting to gain the same advantages, Mills began to learn the game of baseball, and excelled in the development of pitching. He soon dominated opposing batters within the Navy fleet, and later pitched surprisingly well against civilian and college teams.
After being discharged from the Navy in January of 1934, Mills was signed by Browns' scout L.C. McEvoy and optioned to the San Antonio Missions. He would appear in 15 games for the Missions in 1934, and see a brief midseason stint with the 'big league' club. Howard Mills would make his Browns debut on June 10, 1934, pitching the eighth inning of a 6-1 loss to the Cleveland Indians. He would give up two runs on four hits in relief of Browns' starter, Dick Coffman. After a year with the St. Paul Saints in 1935, Mills returned to San Antonio for the next two seasons (1936-37) where he appeared in 72 games (including 52 starts and 32 complete games) reaching a record of 26-18.
Howard Mills would rejoin the Browns on September 29, 1937 and become a solid pitcher on their staff through the 1940 season. He started 48 of the 92 games he pitched for St. Louis, which included 265 strikeouts in 426 innings. His best season came in 1938, when Mills reached career highs in wins (10), games started (27), complete games (15), innings pitched (210.1), and strikeouts (134).
The following season (1940) saw Mills' production and control drop (26 games, 0-6 record, 7.78 ERA) and the Browns eventually sent his contract to the Brooklyn Dodgers on February 4, 1941. After a miserable spring training, the Dodgers returned Mills to St. Louis on April 15. The Browns assigned Mills to the Toledo Mud Hens, but instead of reporting to the team he filled the American League office for a voluntary retirement.
Howard Mills returned to California where he played semipro baseball with Jackie Robinson's Atascadero National Youth Administration. With the outbreak of World War II, Mills returned to service where he was a part of the military police at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey until January of 1946.
Mills would make a brief comeback with the Browns after the war, but his age and diminished skills betrayed him. He continued to play semipro baseball in California and worked with the AiReserach Aviation Services Company developing modifications in the industry.
Howard "Lefty" Mills may not have been a big name outside of the Browns organization, but the life he led in baseball and serving his nation makes him a honorable hero in Browns history.
HEADLINE
"EXPLOSIVE BROWNS OFFENSE CRUSHES ATHLETICS, LEADING TO ROOKIE'S FIRST WIN"
FEATURED GAMES
1953 - Don Larsen will earn his first MLB win in relief as he pitches 7.2 innings and defeat the Philadelphia Athletics, 7-3. Bobo Holloman would start the game, his first start after pitching a no-hitter earlier in the week, but would only la
HEADLINE
"EXPLOSIVE BROWNS OFFENSE CRUSHES ATHLETICS, LEADING TO ROOKIE'S FIRST WIN"
FEATURED GAMES
1953 - Don Larsen will earn his first MLB win in relief as he pitches 7.2 innings and defeat the Philadelphia Athletics, 7-3. Bobo Holloman would start the game, his first start after pitching a no-hitter earlier in the week, but would only last into the second inning. Larsen would close out the game, going 7.2 innings giving up only five hits and a run. The Browns offense would crush Philadelphia pitching, recording 14 hits including five doubles, a triple, and a home run. CF Johnny Groth, SS Billy Hunter, LF Jim Dyck, 3B Bob Elliot, and RF Vic Wertz would all record two hits including a double. Larsen would help his cause with a triple, and catcher Less Moss would also crank two hits including a home run. Seven of the nine Browns batters would hit against A's pitching.
BROWNS' ALL-TIME RECORD ON THIS DAY
26 WINS, 17 LOSSES
WINS BY DECADE
1902-09: 6-2
1910-19: 3-6
1920-29: 4-5
1930-39: 6-0
1940-49: 6-3
1950-53: 1-1
DOUBLE-HEADERS:
Swept series in 1934 (WASH)
Split series in 1946 (CLE)
TRANSACTIONS
1912 - Browns purchase the contract of 1B Hap Myers from the Boston Red Sox. He would play just 11 games with the Browns before being sent back to the Red Sox. The story behind his return to Boston has been questioned for years. The Browns had ten days to return Myers to Boston under MLB guidelines. In his time in St. Louis he would play in 11 games and hit for a .297 average. It has been said that Boston didn't want Myers back, and the Browns didn't want to keep him. He would eventually stay a Red Sox.
1923 - Browns send the player rights to Hollis Thurston to the Chicago White Sox. Thurston had developed a 6.75 ERA in just two with the Browns. He would go on and win 43 games with the White Sox over the following four seasons (1923-26)
DEBUTS
1911 - Paul Krichell makes his MLB debut as a replacement for Catcher Jay Clarke, going 2-3 in a Browns 17-13 loss to the Philadelphia A's
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1911 - LHP Archie McKain (1941)
1902 - LHP Frank Henry (1921-22)
1898 - OF/1B Earl McNeely (1929-31)
1910 - LHP Howard Mills (1934, 37-40)
1922 - RHP Johnny Hetki (1952)
The 1924 Browns were led by George Sisler, the best player in the history of the franchise. During the 1920s it was common for a teams best player to lead their team on the field. Ty Cobb managed the Tigers (1921-26), Tris Speaker managed the Indians (1919-26), and Miller Huggins managed the Cardinals (1913-16).
After missing the entire 1
The 1924 Browns were led by George Sisler, the best player in the history of the franchise. During the 1920s it was common for a teams best player to lead their team on the field. Ty Cobb managed the Tigers (1921-26), Tris Speaker managed the Indians (1919-26), and Miller Huggins managed the Cardinals (1913-16).
After missing the entire 1923 season with a sinus infection that impaired his vision, Browns management thought the managerial role would help keep Sisler in the game, even if his skills had diminished. He came back in 1924 with a .305 average, and a .345 average in 1925. At the same time he was leading a team who saw him as a leader instead of a manager.
His 1924 team finished with a 74-78 record and a fourth place finish. His Browns had one of the best offenses in the American League, with a team batting average of .295 (third in the American League). Unfortunately, the Browns ranked near the bottom of the league in most pitching categories. The Browns had a winning record against the team above them in the standings at 36-30 (vs Washington, New York, and Detroit), but a losing record against the team below them in the standings at 38-48.
Sisler would remain the Browns manager through the 1926 season. It is said that at the end of his tenure he admitted that he "wasn't ready for the role."