St. Louis Browns RF Luther Bonin was born on January 13, 1888 in Greenhill, Indiana. Even though his MLB career would only last one plate appearance, he is the only player from Greenhill to reach the Major Leagues.
There is very little known of the baseball career, and later life of "Bonnie" Bonin. He was signed as a 22-year old prospect
St. Louis Browns RF Luther Bonin was born on January 13, 1888 in Greenhill, Indiana. Even though his MLB career would only last one plate appearance, he is the only player from Greenhill to reach the Major Leagues.
There is very little known of the baseball career, and later life of "Bonnie" Bonin. He was signed as a 22-year old prospect by the Canton Duebers of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League in 1913. He would appear in 124 games with Canton, which would be half of his entire baseball career. He would only play another 118 games over the next six seasons.
Bonin played for the Columbus Senators in 1911 and 1913, but would miss the entire 1912 season for undocumented reasons.
It was recorded that he was "incapacitated", but the exact reasons can be left to the imagination. Especially since missing the entire 1912 season, he made the 1913 Browns team and made his debut on April 13, 1913. He was used as a pinch hitter for pitcher Mack Allison in the bottom of the seventh inning. He put the ball in play but failed to reach first base safely. This was the end of his MLB career, for the Browns reassigned him to Columbus for the rest of the 1913 season.
Bonin would then "jump" from the Browns organization to the Buffalo Buffed of the outlaw Federal Baseball League in 1914. He batted just .184 in 20 games for the Buffed. He finished his baseball career with the Marion Senators (1915) and the Muskegon Reds (1916), before joining the public realm.
It is not documented how he lived his life after baseball. It is known that he settled in Sycamore, Ohio, where he live a long life (probably telling tall tales of his crushing flyball out he hit as a member of the St. Louis Browns)
Today's Browns Quote
"Although there was never any official word that the 1953 season would be the Browns’ last in St. Louis, there were enough unofficial signs that attendance flatlined to only 3,860 fans per game. Under the circumstances, the Browns made a wretched showing, finishing 54-100, 46 games out of first. This was partly becaus
Today's Browns Quote
"Although there was never any official word that the 1953 season would be the Browns’ last in St. Louis, there were enough unofficial signs that attendance flatlined to only 3,860 fans per game. Under the circumstances, the Browns made a wretched showing, finishing 54-100, 46 games out of first. This was partly because late in the season, the Browns were running so low on baseballs that they were forced to ration them during batting practice. When what would be the Browns’ last game in St. Louis—a 2-1 loss to the White Sox—went into extra innings, the Browns had so few baseballs on hand that the umpires were forced to recycle the least damaged ones that had previously been used. Reportedly, the last ball used was gashed from seam to seam"~ Sports History Team Website
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1885 - Harry Vahrenhorst (1904)
1887 - 2B/3B Eddie Foster (1922-23)
1888 - RF Luther Bonin (1913)
1889 - LF Ned Crompton (1909)
1926 - RHP Bob Habenicht (1951, 52)
SPORTSMAN'S PARK DID YOU KNOW?
When the Browns debuted in St. Louis, Sportsman's Park held approximately 8,000 fans. Like most stadiums at the time, it was a wooden structure which posed a constant fire hazard.
In 1909 Browns owner Robert Hedges wanted to build a more stable and welcoming facility, so he constructed a steel and concrete grandstand that wrapped around the southwest corner of the property. The structure surrounded the newly located home plate, and stretched from first base to third base. A covered second deck was added to the structure so more fans would be able to enjoy the Browns games. Extending along both foul lines were a pavilions that met the bleachers in the outfield. The pavilions and bleachers were eventually renovated to steel and concrete like the rest of the structure.
Sportsman's Park was the second American League stadium to be built in such a sturdy manner (after Shibe Park in Philadelphia). The capacity of Sportsman's Park increased to approximately 17, 600. Sportsman's Park was the first stadium to have a public address system, and electronic scoreboard.
The impact of the 1953 St. Louis Browns will not go down in the annals of MLB history. The record of 54-100 was not the worst in the baseball history, but it could not save the team in St. Louis. The prime years of the Browns had been over for a while, and the team was barely holding on in 1953.
Bill Veeck did everything he could think of
The impact of the 1953 St. Louis Browns will not go down in the annals of MLB history. The record of 54-100 was not the worst in the baseball history, but it could not save the team in St. Louis. The prime years of the Browns had been over for a while, and the team was barely holding on in 1953.
Bill Veeck did everything he could think of to turn this team into winners on the field and at the box office. But by 1953, team futility and the rising power of their Cardinal neighbors, helped lead this team to relocate in Baltimore. However once in Baltimore, they would not experience a winning season until the 1960 campaign.
The '53 Browns would have some names that would become stars after they left St. Louis. Don Larsen would become a Yankees legend with this World Series No-Hitter. Satchel Paige would continue to pitch into his 60s and into the Hall of Fame. Names like Ed Mickelson, Billy Hunter, Roy Sievers, Clint Courtney, Dick Kryhoski, Bobby Young, Jim Dyck, Johnny Groth, Vic Wertz, Dick Kokos, Les Moss, Don Lenhardt, Vern Stephens, Duane Pillette, Bobo Holloman, and every name of every player on this final roster should never be forgotten.
This team will always be in the hearts of baseball fans in St. Louis. Some could call it a "romantic" relationship fans have with this team, remembering the good things rather than the bad. These players lived out their dreams of being major league players, and they are heroes for that achievement.