St. Louis Browns first baseman Dale Long was born on February 6, 1926 in Springfield, Missouri. He would set an MLB record for power that would put him in the same category as some of baseball's greatest hitters. Unfortunately, his career would never reach the heights of some of others in baseball history.
Dale Long would enjoy a 21-year
St. Louis Browns first baseman Dale Long was born on February 6, 1926 in Springfield, Missouri. He would set an MLB record for power that would put him in the same category as some of baseball's greatest hitters. Unfortunately, his career would never reach the heights of some of others in baseball history.
Dale Long would enjoy a 21-year professional baseball career that would take him through six major league teams and 15 minor league clubs. In 1944 he would begin his career with the Milwaukee Brewers at the age of 18. His early years would take him through two teams in 1945 (Lima Reds, Middleton Rockets), two teams in 1946 (Columbia Reds, Ogden Reds), and three teams in 1947 (Providence Chiefs, Oneonta Red Sox, Muncie Reds). After spending time with the Lynn Red Sox (1948), Williamsport Tigers (1949), and the Binghamton Triplets (1950), Dale Long would start the 1951 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being placed on waivers.
The Browns acquired Dale Long on June 1, 1951 after selecting him off waivers. After debuting with the Browns in both games of a double header on June 3, he would go on to appear in 34 games over the next seven weeks. He would tally 25 hits, including five doubles, a triple, two home runs, and 11 RBIs. He would share first base responsibilities with Hank Arft, but his .238 batting average made him expendable to the Browns. The team would send him the San Francisco Seals to finish the season, before his contract was reacquired by the Pirates.
After another four seasons in the minors, he finally seized the starting role for the Pirates (1955-57). In 1956, Dale Long would set a major league record with a home run in eight-consecutive games. This broke the previous record of six-consecutive games with a home run held by five major league players (including Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig, and Browns' Ken Williams). This record still stands today, however Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr have tied this accomplishment.
Long would go on to play for the Chicago Cubs (1957-59), San Francisco Giants (1960), New York Yankees (1960, 62-63), and Washington Senators (1961-62). He would finish his playing career with the Jacksonville Suns (1964), before beginning his second career in the baseball world.
Long would serve as an umpire in the minor leagues for five seasons. He would then go on to work for the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, which oversees all minor league baseball.
Dale Long's eight famous home runs in 1956 is one of the greatest accomplishments in modern baseball that is rarely observed. It is another reason why this website is maintained and shared with baseball fans.
Today's Browns Quote
“From the moment I crawled out of bed my thoughts had to do with baseball, with the result that I raced the poor nag to the creamery every morning. I wanted to get my job over as early as possible so I could drive back home, walk the two miles to the school and get in forty-five minutes to an hour of baseball before th
Today's Browns Quote
“From the moment I crawled out of bed my thoughts had to do with baseball, with the result that I raced the poor nag to the creamery every morning. I wanted to get my job over as early as possible so I could drive back home, walk the two miles to the school and get in forty-five minutes to an hour of baseball before the bell called us to our studies. For a while I had to milk one-handed.”
~ Browns catcher Wally Schang (1926-29)
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1880 - 2B Franke LaPorte (1911-12)
1926 - 1B Dale Long (1951)
1926 - Browns traded LHP George Mogridge to Yankees for C/OF Wally Schang. Geoerge Mogridge was not in a Browns uniform very long. The Browns acquired him half way through the 1925 season, in a deal that sent C Hank Severeid to Washington for Mogridge and C/PH "Pinky" Hargraves. He would only appear 15.1 innings as a starting pitcher in two games with the Browns. He would tally a 1-1 record with a 5.87 ERA. Mogridge would not spend any time in Yankee pinstripes, for New York would trade him to the Boston Braves nine days later (2/15/1926). The Browns acquired the catcher they needed after trading Severeid the season before. Wally Schang would be a stable catcher and reliable bat for the next four seasons. In his first season in St. Louis, he would lead the American League in catching 56.9% of base stealers. He would appear in 294 games, hit 21 HRs, drive in 168 runners, with a combined .294 Batting Average. He would also build a 11.2 WAR with the Browns in those four seasons.
The direct impact of the 1943 St. Louis Browns was very minimal. Many at the time believed he team was under performing from the previous season. Both the team Batting and Pitching statistics implied that this team took a step backward.
In actuality, the 1943 team were the building blocks for the American League winning team in 1944. The
The direct impact of the 1943 St. Louis Browns was very minimal. Many at the time believed he team was under performing from the previous season. Both the team Batting and Pitching statistics implied that this team took a step backward.
In actuality, the 1943 team were the building blocks for the American League winning team in 1944. The players learned how to rally together, and play as a team. Luke Sewell began to see the changes he made, and player he acquired, come together and improve . The impact of the 1943 team was seen one year later when the Browns went to the World Series.