St Louis Browns RHP Ellis Kinder was born on July 26, 1914 in Atkins, Arkansas. He would build a 17 season career with 12 seasons in the Major Leagues. His nickname was "Old Folks" due to the fact that he didn't break into the Majors until the age of 31. By the time his career was over in 1957, he would establish himself as one of the fir
St Louis Browns RHP Ellis Kinder was born on July 26, 1914 in Atkins, Arkansas. He would build a 17 season career with 12 seasons in the Major Leagues. His nickname was "Old Folks" due to the fact that he didn't break into the Majors until the age of 31. By the time his career was over in 1957, he would establish himself as one of the first relief pitchers in baseball.
Ellis Kinder began his career in 1939 with the Jackson Generals of the Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League. He would spend the next four seasons between Jackson, the Binghamton Triplets, and the Memphis Chicksaws.
Early in his career he would lose the 1943 season to an undisclosed suspension, and the 1945 season to service in the Armed Forces during World War II.
The Browns would acquire Ellis Kinder prior to the 1945 season from the Memphis Chicksaws, where he posted a 19-6 record in 1944. After Kinder returned from service, he joined the Browns pitching staff and would appear in 67 games over the 1946-47 seasons. He would appear in 281 innings, striking out 169 batters and walking only 118, while building a 4.13 ERA.
One of Ellis Kinder's more non-highlighted moments came on May 17, 1947. While pitching in Boston, a random seagull would drop a three pound smelt (small fish) on Kinder while on the mound. Kinder would beat the Red Sox on that day, 4-2. On November 18, 1947, the Browns would send Kinder and INF Billy Hitchcock to the Red Sox for INF Sam Dente, LHP Clem Dreisewerd, 3B/2B Bill Sommers, and $65,000.
Kinder would spend the next eight seasons with the Red Sox (1948-55), a half-season with the Cardinals (1956), and time with the White Sox (1956-57). By the time he retired in 1957, he would accumulate 104 saves. He would lead the American League in saves in 1951 (16 saves) and 1953 (27 saves) while playing for Boston.
He would eventually retire to Memphis after his playing days were over. Although he only saved two games as a Brown, many in the Boston area believe he was one of the most important pitchers of his era.
HEADLINES
"BROWNS REBOUND FROM EARLY DEFEAT TO SIEZE VICTORY IN NIGHT CAP"
FEATURED GAME
1948 - In the second game of a double header, Browns score two runs in the 11th inning to close out the Washington Nationals, 6-4. The Browns lost the first game 5-1, behind only seven hits from the St. Louis order. The second game was dominated by extra
HEADLINES
"BROWNS REBOUND FROM EARLY DEFEAT TO SIEZE VICTORY IN NIGHT CAP"
FEATURED GAME
1948 - In the second game of a double header, Browns score two runs in the 11th inning to close out the Washington Nationals, 6-4. The Browns lost the first game 5-1, behind only seven hits from the St. Louis order. The second game was dominated by extra base hit by the Browns batters, with each leading to two runs. In the first inning, RF Dick Kokos would double in LF Don Lund and 2B Jerry Priddy. Kokos would drive a triple into the center field gap, scoring Priddy and CF Paul Lehner. Meanwhile rookie RHP Ralph Schwamb, making his MLB debut would give way to the RHP Bryan Stephens in the seventh inning. Stephens would give up the a run in the bottom of the nineth, but would keep the Nationals from scoring in extra frames. In the top of the 11th inning, Don Lund would drive a two-run double, scoring 3B Don Gutteridge and SS Eddie Pelligrini, off Washington reliever Forrest Thompson. Stephens, who was given a blown save in the nineth inning, would earn his third win of the year.
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on July 25
17 Wins, 28 Losses Two Ties (.361)
1902-09: 3-5
1910-19: 3-6-2
1920-29: 4-3
1930-39: 1-7
1940-49: 3-6
1950-53: 3-1
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 1
Splits: 3
Swept: 2
TRANSACTIONS
There were no transactions on this day
DEBUTS
1948 - RHP Ralph Schwamb would pitch 6.1 innings in the second game of a double header against the Washington Nationals. He would scatter three runs off seven hits, while striking out three batters.
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS
There were no birthdays on this day
The 1917 St. Louis Browns were shaped by events that took place on and off the baseball field. The Browns fininshed the season with a record of just 57-97, finishing in seventh place in the American League. They finished 43 games behond the Chicago White Sox, and a game and a half in front of the Philadelphia Athletics.
They would still
The 1917 St. Louis Browns were shaped by events that took place on and off the baseball field. The Browns fininshed the season with a record of just 57-97, finishing in seventh place in the American League. They finished 43 games behond the Chicago White Sox, and a game and a half in front of the Philadelphia Athletics.
They would still have one the best hitters in the game, along with a great supporting group of players. They would have see two no-hitters thrown in back-to-back games by two young pitchers, with plenty of promise. They had the stability of having one of the best managers in the league trying to find the ways to carve out more victories in the schedule. They were just not performing as well as most ofther teams in the American League.
This season marked the beginning of the Branch Rickey era with the cross-field St. Louis Cardinals. Rickey began to institute his management of the Cardinals farms system and player developement. He introduced the famous 'Knot Hole Gang" promotions that brought thousands of young fans to Cardinals games. He began to built "The Cardinal Way" and the teams that followed would have a very distinct wnning charateristic. All of this could have occured with the Browns, if the ego of pwner William Ball did not stand in the way. It has been written that the season of 1917 marked the fall of the St, Louis Browns, and the rise of the Cardinals.