St. Louis Browns left-handed pitcher Archie McKain was born on May 12, 1911 in Derphos, Kansas. He grew up more of a cowboy or ranch hand that started playing baseball with his family's team, known as the "McKain Nine". With his eight brothers, the family would travel to small towns to play exhibition games on Sunday Afternoons.
In 1929,
St. Louis Browns left-handed pitcher Archie McKain was born on May 12, 1911 in Derphos, Kansas. He grew up more of a cowboy or ranch hand that started playing baseball with his family's team, known as the "McKain Nine". With his eight brothers, the family would travel to small towns to play exhibition games on Sunday Afternoons.
In 1929, while playing for the Concordia (KS) town team, a minor league manager witnessed the teenager pitch and signed him to an amateur contract. He traveled to Colorado to play for the Pueblo Braves for the next two seasons (1930-31). He would also play 2 seasons with the Louisville Colonels (1932-35), and the Minneapolis Millers (1935-36), before his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 1937. After the 1938 season he would be traded to the Detroit Tigers, and then later to the Browns.
On August 4, 1941, the Browns purchased the contract of Archie "Happy" McKain. After acquiring "Happy", he would spend the rest of the 1941 in the Browns bullpen. He would appear in ten innings over eight games. He would distribute 16 hits, including two home runs, while allowing nine runs to score. His ERA was an alarming 8.10, but he did earn his first save with the Browns. The Browns sent him to the Toledo Mud hens for the 1942 season, which he turned in a 17-11 season with an ERA of 4.23.
The Browns anticipated a similar season when they brought him up for the 1943 campaign. It was not to be, for he would go 1-1 with an ERA of 3.94 in his first ten games. The Browns would eventually deal him to the Dodgers, along with LHP Fritz Ostermueller for sasoned veteran, RHP Bobo Newsom.
Archie McKain decided that his career was over and decided to retire and return Minneapolis, Kansas with his family. It appears that Archie McKain was truly happy to live out his life as a farmer and carpenter for the rest of his days. We should all be that happy in out lives.
HEADLINE
"TOM JONES SETS MLB RECORD WHILE BROWNS THUMP AMERICANS"
FEATURED GAMES
1906 - Behind a record setting defense, Browns RHP Ed Smith hurls a complete game victory over the Boston Americans, 8-3. Smith would scatter seven hits and three walks, while striking out three batters. The Browns offense was fueled by CF Charlie Hemphill, 1B T
HEADLINE
"TOM JONES SETS MLB RECORD WHILE BROWNS THUMP AMERICANS"
FEATURED GAMES
1906 - Behind a record setting defense, Browns RHP Ed Smith hurls a complete game victory over the Boston Americans, 8-3. Smith would scatter seven hits and three walks, while striking out three batters. The Browns offense was fueled by CF Charlie Hemphill, 1B Tom Jones, and LF George Stone who combined had six hits, and four runs scored. The big story was with 1B Tom Jones who set an MLB record for the most putouts in a single MLB game with 22 putouts. This record still stands today. In 1906, Hal Chase also recorded 22 putouts with the New York Highlanders. These two players would hold this record until Ernie Banks matched this number in 1963. Bill Buckner (1983), Don Mattingly (1987) , and Alvin Davis (1988) have also matched this mark.
BROWNS' ALL-TIME RECORD ON THIS DAY
17 WINS, 27 LOSSES, ONE TIE
WINS BY DECADE
1902-09: 4-1
1910-19: 2-7
1920-29: 4-5
1930-39: 5-4
1940-49: 2-5-1
1950-53: 0-5
DOUBLE-HEADERS:
Split series in 1941 (CLE)
Lost a series in 1950 (NYY), 1952 (CLE)
TRANSACTIONS
1915 - Browns purchased the contract of RHP Scott Perry from Louisville, only to return him later that same day as his debut. He would make the start against the Philadelphia Athletics. He would give up five hits, three runs, and a walk to the 15 batters he faced in two innings, He would be returned to the the Louisville Colonels after the game.
DEBUTS
1915 - RHP Scott Perry (see above transaction)
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
No Birthdays today - Bummer
The 1924 would finish in fourth place with a 74-78 record. The Browns were made up of some of the best hitters to ever wear the Browns uniform.
This team had been together for the last five seasons, and every year they would appear in the top half of every batting category in the American League. The outfield of Williams/Jacobson/Tobin w
The 1924 would finish in fourth place with a 74-78 record. The Browns were made up of some of the best hitters to ever wear the Browns uniform.
This team had been together for the last five seasons, and every year they would appear in the top half of every batting category in the American League. The outfield of Williams/Jacobson/Tobin would still arguably be the best hitting outfield in the history of the game. Catcher Hank Severeid, SS Wally Gerber, and 2B Marty McManus were some of the best hitters at the respective positions. The strange part of this team is how they played vs the rest of the American League. They would actually have a winning record over four of the six months of the season. At the same time they would only have a winning record over two of the remaining seven American League teams. Baseball is a crazy game.
Season Breakdown with American League Rankings