St. Louis Browns RHP Ed Strelecki was born on April 10, 1905 in Newark, New Jersey. Born into a family of 11 siblings, he was able to build himself an eight-year professional baseball career. There is little documentation on his life before baseball, but he would be a positive member of the Newark community after his playing days were ove
St. Louis Browns RHP Ed Strelecki was born on April 10, 1905 in Newark, New Jersey. Born into a family of 11 siblings, he was able to build himself an eight-year professional baseball career. There is little documentation on his life before baseball, but he would be a positive member of the Newark community after his playing days were over.
Ed Strelecki began his career with the Jackson Senators in 1926, where he pitched to an 18-15 record. The following season saw him win ten games with the Lincoln Links, that attracted the attention of many major league teams.
The Browns would acquire Strelecki prior to the 1928 season, although there is no transaction history to explain how he joined the team. Strelecki would remain on the Browns roster the entire season, appearing in 50.1 innings over 22 games. He was used primarily out in relief, and would make his MLB debut on April 16, 1928. He would be the third pitcher of the game in relief for Dick Coffman, pitching the seventh and eighth innings. He would give up a run on two hits and a walk.
Strelecki would return with the Browns in 1929, although his time would be reduced to just seven games. He would record his only MLB win on June 1, 1929, where he entered the game in the eighth inning in relief of Lefty Stewart. His career stats with the Browns include two starts in his 29 games, along with 14 game finishes and an ERA of 4.40. He would only record ten strikeouts, 30 earned runs, and a single win.
In mid-June, Strelecki would be released to the Milwaukee Brewers where he would pitch for two seasons (1929-30). He would return to the Majors for 13 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1931. He luck on the mound would not improve and was released back to the minor leagues. After playing with the St. Paul Saints (1932) and Jersey City Skeeters (1933), Strelecki would retire from baseball and return to his home town of Newark.
He would become a member of the Newark Police Department and serve his community for 25 years. He was involved in the Patrolman Benevolent Association, the Polish National Allliance of Newark, and several "Old Timers" Associations.
Ed Strelecki is another example of a Browns player that would see his MLB dreams for a brief moment, but then become a solid member of the city in which he grew up. Success is measured in many ways, and Ed Strelecki was a success to the people he loved the most - his hometown.
BROWNS' GAME HISTORY ON THIS DAY
One Game
One Win
OPENING DAY
APRIL 10, 1913 - Browns defeated the Detroit Tigers, 3-1 in front of 15,000 at Sportsman's Park. Browns Carl Weilman pitched a complete game victory - nine innings pitched, six hits, one run, one earned run, two walks, and three strikeouts. Browns RF Gus Williams hit the first HR o
BROWNS' GAME HISTORY ON THIS DAY
One Game
One Win
OPENING DAY
APRIL 10, 1913 - Browns defeated the Detroit Tigers, 3-1 in front of 15,000 at Sportsman's Park. Browns Carl Weilman pitched a complete game victory - nine innings pitched, six hits, one run, one earned run, two walks, and three strikeouts. Browns RF Gus Williams hit the first HR of 1913. Del Pratt and Carl Weilman drove in the other two runs.
TRANSACTIONS
1940 - The Browns send the player rights of infielder Sig Gryska to the Yankees. Gyska was a utility infielder for the Browns during the 1938-39 seasons. He would compile a .329 batting average in 25 games with the Browns.
BROWNS MLB DEBUTS
1913 - Johnny Johnston makes his MLB debut in left field, going 1-for-3 with a sacrifice hit, in the Browns 3-1 victory over Tigers. Sam Agnew would debut as the Browns' catcher going 0-for-1, while earning a walk and getting plunked by Tigers' pitcher George Mullins
The impact of the 1929 St. Louis Browns team came with the improved record and the optimistic feelings toward the new decade.
The offensive lineup for this team included one of the best hitters in the league, Heinie Manush. In his brief time with St. Louis, he was a strong leader as well as the backbone to the lineup. The pitching was led
The impact of the 1929 St. Louis Browns team came with the improved record and the optimistic feelings toward the new decade.
The offensive lineup for this team included one of the best hitters in the league, Heinie Manush. In his brief time with St. Louis, he was a strong leader as well as the backbone to the lineup. The pitching was led by Sam Gray, who put up numbers that would astonish players in the modern game. He pitched 305 innings, which is 100 more than the 2025 A.L. leader Garrett Crochet. Gray would only start 37 games to reach 305 innings, where Crochet would use 32 games to reach his 205.1 innings. Gray averaged eight innings per game in 1929, which is unheard of in 2025.
The Browns were set for the 1930 season, when their manager of the previous three seasons was hired to turn around the Cincinnati Reds. Then in May of 1930, Browns owner Phil Ball would make a rash decision and trade away his two best players. This would be the last time the Browns would have a better record (79-73) than their St. Louis cousins, the Cardinals (78-74)