St. Louis Browns RHP Phil Stremmel, was born on April 16, 1880 in Zanesville, Ohio. He would put together a nine-year professional baseball career from 1906 through 1914, which primarily included leagues around his native Ohio. Phil Stremmel would be a classic example of a player who enjoyed two "cups of coffee" with the Browns in the Ma
St. Louis Browns RHP Phil Stremmel, was born on April 16, 1880 in Zanesville, Ohio. He would put together a nine-year professional baseball career from 1906 through 1914, which primarily included leagues around his native Ohio. Phil Stremmel would be a classic example of a player who enjoyed two "cups of coffee" with the Browns in the Major League Baseball.
Phil Stremmel began his career in baseball at the age of 26 when he signed on with the Green Bay Colts of the Wisconsin State League in 1906. There is no documentation of his baseball life prior to signing with the Colts. It is assumed that he participated in semipro baseball throughout the Midwest. He would continue to pitch for Green Bay from 1906-08, before moving on to the Superior Blues in 1909. After a 22-9 over 33 games, Stremmel earned a late season call by the Browns in September of 1909.
He would make his MLB debut on September 16, 1909, pitching a complete game against the Washington Nationals in the first game of a double header. He would allow five runs on nine hits, two walks and three strikeouts as the Browns lost 0-5. Eight days later (September 25), he would hurl a second complete game against the Boston Red Sox, but lose 4-3. His performance would earn him an invitation to the Browns preseason camp in 1910.
Stremmel would make the team out of camp and earn him a spot on the staff. This second year with the Browns would not last for long. In five games with St. Louis, Stremmel would give up 31 hits, 16 walks, which led to 19 runs in just 29 innings. His best outing came on May 2, 1910, when he pitched an 11-inning complete game against the Cleveland Naps, but still lost 2-1.
The Browns would send Phil Stremmel's contract to the Columbus Senators in June of 1910, and he would remain in the minors for the remainder of his career. He would later go on to play for the Zanesville Potters (1911-12) and Dayton Veterans (1913-14).
By all accounts, Phil Stremmel would have a successful baseball career. His total career numbers in would appear in 296 career games, pitch in 1260 innings, reach a 114-93 career record, and have 220 career strikeouts. The baseball simply did not bounce his way in the Majors as it did in the minor leagues.
After his playing days were over, Phil Stremmel settled down in Chicago and lived into his sixties. He tragically passed away at the age of 67 due to carbon monoxide poisoning in 1947.
HEADLINE
"COLLECTION OF BROWNS ROOKIES DEBUT IN OPENING DAY BEAT DOWN OF TIGERS"
FEATURED GAME
1940 - OPENING DAY Browns defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-1 in front of 49,417 unhappy Detroit fans. The story of this day was the MLB debut of catcher Bob Swift. Swift would go 3-for-4 vs Tiger pitching, while driving in two runs. The Browns were dr
HEADLINE
"COLLECTION OF BROWNS ROOKIES DEBUT IN OPENING DAY BEAT DOWN OF TIGERS"
FEATURED GAME
1940 - OPENING DAY Browns defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-1 in front of 49,417 unhappy Detroit fans. The story of this day was the MLB debut of catcher Bob Swift. Swift would go 3-for-4 vs Tiger pitching, while driving in two runs. The Browns were driven by RF and leadoff man, Rip Radcliff who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Making his MLB debut, CF Wally Judnich would hit the first home run if the year, and 3B Harland Clift would score two runs. Browns starting pitcher George Coffman would pitch a complete game, striking out five while scattering seven hits.
BROWNS' ALL-TIME RECORD ON THIS DAY
13 WINS, 16 LOSES, 1 TIE
1902-09: 2-2
1910-19: 4-3
1920-29: 3-5
1930-39: 0-4
1940-49: 3-1
1950-53: 1-1
TRANSACTIONS
1918 - Browns released RHP Vince Molyneaux. The Browns had signed Molyneaux as an amateur free agent on June 7, 1917. In 7 games with the 1917 Browns, he failed to record a win, and was able to record a hit as a batter. The Cardinals would sign him a day after being released, but then they released him on May 7. The Red Sox would sign Molyneaux on May 21.
DEBUTS
1905 - RHP Jim Buchanan would start the game vs the Chicago White Sox. He would spread out ten hits, five runs, and three strikeouts over eight innings, earning his first MLB win over the Chicago White Sox.
1911 - Starting pitcher Howie Gregory would give up 3 runs with 6 hits and 3 walks in his debut vs the Chicago White Sox. RHP Jeff Pfeffer would pitch the last 5 innings of the game. He would only give up a hit, but be responsible for the last four runs in the Browns 7-1 loss to the "Southsiders".
1921 - RHP Ray Kolp would win his debut 7-6, over the Cleveland Indians. he would pitch 8.1 innings, giving up 12 hits, six runs, a walk, and a strikeout
1928 - RHP Ed Strelecki would be the fourth pitcher to take the mound in the Browns 0-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox. He would give up a run, on two walks and two hits.
1931 - In a 12 inning game, LF Frank Waddey would enter as a replacement for Goose Goslin in the 2nd inning. He would go 2-for-4 with a hit and a walk. In the same game, catcher Russ Young would replace Rick Ferrell in the 11th inning. Young would go 0-1 in the Browns late inning, 6-5 loss
1935 - Beau Bell makes his MLB debut, on Opening Day vs Cleveland, starting in RF but going 0-for-6 in a 2-1 loss to the Indians
1940 - Wally Judnich makes his MLB debut, on Opening Day, starting in CF, going 1-for-5 with a HR in the sixth inning, in the Browns 5-1 win Bob Swift would go 3-for-4 while driving in two runs
1946 - 3B and leadoff man, Bob Dillenger, would walk in his first MLB debut vs the Detroit Tigers, he would 0-for-3 with the walk and scoring the first run of the season.
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1880 - RHP Phil Stremmel (1909-10)
The St. Louis Browns pitching staff of 1902 was a group anchored by veteran pitchers with a strong supportive cast. 71 of the Browns 78 wins came four of the Browns starters. Jack Powell and Red Donahue would win 22 games each, while Jack Harper (15 wins) and Willie Sudhoff (12) would both have winning records. Three of these starters cam
The St. Louis Browns pitching staff of 1902 was a group anchored by veteran pitchers with a strong supportive cast. 71 of the Browns 78 wins came four of the Browns starters. Jack Powell and Red Donahue would win 22 games each, while Jack Harper (15 wins) and Willie Sudhoff (12) would both have winning records. Three of these starters came over from the National League Cardinals, and all were known around the league for their competitive nature. As a team the Browns would find themselves toward the top of most pitching categories. The pitching would carry the team to their 78 wins, and second place finish.
Team Pitching Statistics
(American League Rankings)
Player Statistics