St. Louis Browns OF Hubbard Northen was born on August 16, 1886, in Atlanta, Texas. He would be the first of three Major Leaguers from the town just south of Texarkana. He would have a baseball career that would take him to 19 organizations over a 17-year time span. This included 164 games at the big league level.
"Hub" Northen was a 20-y
St. Louis Browns OF Hubbard Northen was born on August 16, 1886, in Atlanta, Texas. He would be the first of three Major Leaguers from the town just south of Texarkana. He would have a baseball career that would take him to 19 organizations over a 17-year time span. This included 164 games at the big league level.
"Hub" Northen was a 20-year old prospect when he broke in with the Opelousas Indians of the Gulf Coast League in 1907. After batting .273 with the Indians, he would spend the next three seasons playing for six minor league. He played for the Little Rock Travelers (1908), Monroe Municipals (1908), Fort Worth Panthers (1909), Waco Navigators (1909), and the Houston Buffalos. (1909-10). He would record 160 hits in 149 games with the Buffalos (.311 average) which earned him a late season workout with the Browns in 1910.
Northen would make his MLB debut on September 6, against the Chicago White Sox. He would go 0-for-5, with an RBI, and a run scored. Without earning a walk, it can assumed that he was hit by a pitch that resulted in his run scored. His RBI was the result of a ball in play. Northen would start in center field for the Browns for the remainder of the season. His best game came on September 19, when he went 4-for-4, with a double and three RBIs. In 26 games with St. Louis, Northen would have five multi-hit games, score a run in five games, and steal two bases. However his .198 batting average did not earn him a return trip to the Browns.
Northen would start the 1911 season with the Chattanooga Lookouts, before brief stints with the Cincinnati Reds (1911) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-12). Hub Northen would spend his final 11 seasons between nine teams. Some of the uniforms he wore were with the Newark Bears (1913), Mobile sea Gulls (1914-15), San Antonio Bronchos (1918-20, 22), and Texarkana Twins (1924).
When his playing days were over, Northen turned to scouting and coaching for the Shreveport Sports. He worked along side Homer Peel and Salty Parker while with the Sports. Hub Northen would call Shreveport home after he retired from baseball. It is a safe bet that he had plenty of stories to tell of the players and teams he spent time with over his career.
HEADLINES
"OUTFIELD TRIO CRUSH WASHINGTON PITCHING"
FEATURED GAME
1918 - The Browns would record 11 hits including five doubles in their 5-2 win over Washington. The Browns outfield would lead the way with a combined 7-for-13, including three doubles, three runs scored, and three runs driven in. LF Jack Tobin, CF Tim Hendryx, and RF Ray Demm
HEADLINES
"OUTFIELD TRIO CRUSH WASHINGTON PITCHING"
FEATURED GAME
1918 - The Browns would record 11 hits including five doubles in their 5-2 win over Washington. The Browns outfield would lead the way with a combined 7-for-13, including three doubles, three runs scored, and three runs driven in. LF Jack Tobin, CF Tim Hendryx, and RF Ray Demmitt would also record 11 total bases. 1B George Sisler would add three more hits, including a double, two runs, and and RBI. Browns RHP Dave Davenport would pitch a complete game allowing just six hits, two runs, and a strikeout
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on August 16
23 Wins, 30 Losses (.434)
1902-09: 5-3
1910-19: 3-5
1920-29: 5-7
1930-39: 4-6
1940-49: 3-6
1950-53: 3-3
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 3
Splits: 5
Swept: 3
TRANSACTIONS
1915 - Browns purchased the contract of RHP Jim Park from Lexington Colts of the Ohio State Legue. Park would appear in 122 innings over a three year career with the Browns. In 42 games, he would primarily be used as a relief pitcher, with a 4-5 record and an ERA of 3.02
DEBUTS
1915 - The Browns would have two debuts in a 8-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. RHP Tim McCabe would enter in the 7th inning in relief of Carl Weilman, where he would face four batters, striking out one and allowing a hit. Catcher George Obrien would also enter in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement for John Leary. He would have a perfect 2-for-2 game
1922 - RHP Heinie Meinie would enter in the fifth inning of the Browns 11-3 loss to the Washington Senators. He would allow three runs, on five hits and two walks.
1931 - RF John "Nap" Kloza would go 0-for-2 as a replacement for Red Kress in the Browns 5-3 loss to the Washington Nationals.
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS ON AUGUST 16
1890 - CF Baby Doll Jacobson (1915-26)
1886 - CF Hub Northen (1910)
The 1927 St. Louis Browns roster was made up of some of the best players in franchise history. This team was beginning its transition into the next era of Browns baseball. This would be the last team that would see iconic players like 1B George Sisler and LF Ken Williams call St. Louis home. Outfielders Harry Rice and Bing Miller, would a
The 1927 St. Louis Browns roster was made up of some of the best players in franchise history. This team was beginning its transition into the next era of Browns baseball. This would be the last team that would see iconic players like 1B George Sisler and LF Ken Williams call St. Louis home. Outfielders Harry Rice and Bing Miller, would also be traded, as well as RHPs Milt Gaston and Elam Vangilder.
With the history of producing earlier in the decade, it is surprising the way the team failed to win in 1927. This team would finish in seventh place, with a record of 59-94. They would win 38 of the total 59 games in Sportsman's Park (.644 winning percentage). This was the final season St. Louis fans had to see some of the Browns best players.
SEASON ROSTER