St. Louis Browns INF Ernest Holford Lee was born on August 22, 1899, in Denver, Colorado. His common baseball name was "Dud Lee", although records show that went by Ernest Dudley and Ernest Dudley Lee. Whatever name one chooses to use, Lee built a 20-year baseball career of which just 73 games were with the St. Louis Browns. He may not ha
St. Louis Browns INF Ernest Holford Lee was born on August 22, 1899, in Denver, Colorado. His common baseball name was "Dud Lee", although records show that went by Ernest Dudley and Ernest Dudley Lee. Whatever name one chooses to use, Lee built a 20-year baseball career of which just 73 games were with the St. Louis Browns. He may not have been known as a skilled hitter, but he was known as one of the most gifted fielders in the early 1920s.
Dud Lee was discovered playing semipro baseball around the Colorado/Wyoming regions after graduating from West High School in Denver. The Browns signed the amateur free agent in August of 1919, and assigned him to the Chattanooga Lookouts for the 1920 season. Lee would finish with a .232 batting average with the Lookouts, and earned a late-season call up to the Browns.
He would make his MLB debut on October 3, 1920 against the Chicago White Sox. He entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, replacing SS Wally Gerber, and would record two singles, an RBI, and a stolen base in his first game.
Dud Lee would enter the 1921 season as a solid member of the Browns' infield. He would see action in 72 games for St. Louis, appearing 32 games at shortstop, 30 at second base, three at third base, and ten pinch hitter. His best game came on May 8, during a 16-8 victory over the Detroit Tigers. He would go 2-for-5, with a triple, scoring a run, and driving a run. This would be his 11th game of the season, and his first offensive stats of the season. By the end of the 1921 season, Lee would tally 20 hits in 201 plate appearances. He would record four doubles, two triples, 11 RBIs and a disappointing .167 batting average. These number would not result in a return to the Browns for the 1922 season.
Over the next 18 years, Dud Lee would play for ten different teams including a three-year stint with the Boston Red Sox (1924-26). After a season with the Columbus Senators (1922) and the Tulsa Oilers (1923), Lee would play six seasons with the Hollywood Stars (1927-32). He would finish his career with the Indianapolis Inidians (1933-34), New Orleans Pelicans (1935), Dallas Steers (1935), and the Portland Beavers (1936-38).
Lee would be hired to be player-manager of the Dayton Wings in 1939, but would be involved in an eight-player trade with the Pine Bluff Judges. It is not recorded if he orchestrated his own trade to Pine Bluff.
After his retirement from baseball he would work with Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles during World War II. He would eventually settle down in his hometown of Denver, where he told stories of playing on the same 1921 team as George Sisler, Wally Gerber, and Ken Williams.
HEADLINES
"BROWNS COLLECT OPPORTUNITIES AS NATIONALS LOAD UP THE MISCUES"
FEATURED GAME
1917 - In one of the most bizarre games in Browns history, St. Louis would defeat the Washington Nationals 9-4 in the second game of a double header at Sportsman's Park. The Browns would collect nine hits and nine runs off Washington pitching, but only ge
HEADLINES
"BROWNS COLLECT OPPORTUNITIES AS NATIONALS LOAD UP THE MISCUES"
FEATURED GAME
1917 - In one of the most bizarre games in Browns history, St. Louis would defeat the Washington Nationals 9-4 in the second game of a double header at Sportsman's Park. The Browns would collect nine hits and nine runs off Washington pitching, but only get credit for three runs driven in during the game. The Nationals would commit a seven errors in the game, which is not an MLB record. The seven errors were committed by six Washington players, with 3B Eddie Foster committing two errors. The Browns offense did its best to keep the pressure on the Nationals' fielders. 1B George Sisler went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. RF Tod Sloan was 2-for-3, including a double with a run scored and an RBI. Sloan would also get hit by two pitches, one from each of the Washington pitchers. One of the "plunks" would result in a run scored. 3B Lee MaGee would add a double, a run, and a run driven in. 2B Del Pratt would earned two walks, scored two runs, and recorded an RBI without getting a hit. (The RBI came on a ground out in the bottom of the first inning). All of the craziness during the Browns half of the game, over shadowed the excellent game of RHP Dave Davenport. He would pitch a complete game, allowing just four runs on eight hits and three walks. He would also strikeout five batters. The seven errors by the Washington Nationals was not an MLB record. That honor goes to the 1903 Chicago White Sox, who committed 12 errors in a game with the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers committed six errors of their own. (The total number of errors was determined by the Elias Sports Bureau)
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on August 22
19 Wins, 32 Losses One Tie (.365)
1902-09: 2-3
1910-19: 5-8
1920-29: 4-3
1930-39: 3-7
1940-49: 5-6
1950-53: 0-5
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 1
Splits: 5
Swept: 4
TRANSACTIONS
There were no transactions made on this day
DEBUTS
1911 - Catcher Clyde Southwick is a defensive replacement for Jay Clarke going 0-for-1 with a walk, in the Browns 8-0 loss to the Philadelphia Athletics
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS ON AUGUST 22
1878 - OF Jack McAlesse (1909)
1889 - Catcher Wally Schang (1926-29)
1899 - INF Dud Lee (1920-21)
The 1934 St. Louis Browns was the best team of the decade and the Depression Era. This team would finish in sixth place with a 67-85 record. Most importantly the team would attract 115,305 fans to Sportsman's Park during the season. That was 27,192 more than the 1933 season.
The reasoning behind this interest in this team came from the a
The 1934 St. Louis Browns was the best team of the decade and the Depression Era. This team would finish in sixth place with a 67-85 record. Most importantly the team would attract 115,305 fans to Sportsman's Park during the season. That was 27,192 more than the 1933 season.
The reasoning behind this interest in this team came from the additions to the lineup and pitching staff. RHP Bobo Newsom won the 1933 Most Valuable Player award in the Pacific Coast League, and became the instant leader of the Browns pitching staff. He would lead the staff in every major pitching category, including wins (16), complete games (15), ERA (4.01), and WAR (6.1). The Browns also welcomed rookie 3B Harlond Clift to the lineup in 1933. After two seasons in the Browns minor leagues, Clift would take over the third base position for the next ten seasons (1934-43) he would average 144 games a year. 143 hits, 17 home runs, 77 RBIs, and a .277 batting average. Clift would lead the team in home runs (14) in his rookie season. CF Sam West (.326) and catcher Rollie Hemsley (.309) would continue their offensive production leading the team in batting average. West would be the Browns representative in All-Star game for the second year in a row, and fourth time in a five year period.
This would also be the first full season the Browns would be led by the legendary player-manager, Rogers Hornsby. After the 1934 season, the future looked bright for the Browns and their fans. Time would tell of the outcome.