St. Louis Browns outfielder, Al Zarilla, was born on May 1, 1915, in Los Angeles, California. Known as "Zeke" to his teammates, he would become one of the cornerstone players of the Browns in the 1940s. The versatile outfielder was a team leader at the plate and in the field, and would be honored with an All-Star selection in 1948.
Al Zar
St. Louis Browns outfielder, Al Zarilla, was born on May 1, 1915, in Los Angeles, California. Known as "Zeke" to his teammates, he would become one of the cornerstone players of the Browns in the 1940s. The versatile outfielder was a team leader at the plate and in the field, and would be honored with an All-Star selection in 1948.
Al Zarilla was a highly touted prospect from southern California when Browns scout, Jack Fornier, signed him in 1937. Fournier was confident in Zarilla's abilities that he even promised a new suit to a minor league manager when Zarilla hit over .325 while in the lineup. The Batesville White Sox manager, Elmer Kirchoff, earned the suit when Zarilla hit .329 in his rookie campaign. Zarilla would spend his early years playing for the Lafayette White Sox (1939), Helena Seaporters (1940), Springfield Browns (1941), and San Antonio Missions (1941-42).
He started the 1943 seasons with the Toledo Mud Hens, but after batting .373 in the first 57 games the Browns called Zarilla up for his MLB debut on June 30, 1943. He debuted on Major League Baseball's "Baseball for Victory Day", in which every fan, player, and umpire, had to buy a ticket to enter the game. The nation was deep into World War II, and all proceeds from the gate went to the war effort. Zarilla batted .254 over the final 70 games of the season, which brought him back for the next season.
In 1944, Zarilla was a key member of an outfield platoon that helped lead the Browns to the American League Championship. He batted .299 with six home runs while driving in 45 runs, but the Browns would fall to the Cardinals in the World Series.
Al Zarilla would step away from baseball in November of 1944 when he was drafted into the US Army and assigned to Fort McArthur in San Pedro, California. He served out the rest of the war at Fort Warren in Wyoming, before returning to the Browns for the 1946 season.
Zarilla needed time before returning to baseball form, but was able to have his best career season in 1948. While playing all three outfield positions across 144 games, Zarilla set career marks with 174 hits, 39 doubles, 12 home runs, 11 stolen bases, and a .329 average. This would earn him his only All-Star game appearance, playing four innings in the game at Sportsman's Park.
Al Zarilla played 629 games in seven seasons with the Browns (1943-44, 46-49, 52). He tallied 544 hits, 95 double, 25 triples, 29 home runs, 232 RBIs, 22 stolen bases, and a .274 batting average. He also covered 118 games in center field, 202 games in left field, and 254 games in right field.
Facing financial issues, the Browns would traded Al Zarilla to the Boston Red Sox on May 5, 1949 for CF Stan Spence and cash. He would go on to play with Boston (1949-50, 52-53), the Chicago White Sox (1951-52), and a brief return to the Browns for 48 games in 1952. After three seasons in the minor leagues (1954-56), Zarilla began to enjoy his second stage of his baseball life. Over the next 30 years he became a respected coach and scout for several MLB organizations. He coached with the Washington Senators (1971), but spent most of his time scouting with the Cincinnati Reds (1960-68), Montreal Expos (1968-69), Senators-Texas Rangers (1971-72), Philadelphia Phillies (1972-73), and Baltimore Orioles (1984-85).
Al Zarilla was one of the great Browns players of the 1940s. He proved to be a valuable asset at every level of baseball and made his mark on the game and the fans of St, Louis.
HEADLINE
"HAMILTON DIDNT NEED MUCH TIME IN SHUTING DOWN THE WHITE SOX"
FEATURED GAME
1914 - Browns LHP Earl Hamilton would dominate the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, in a two hit victory in just 1:25. The fourth year pitcher would have a difficult time with the first three batters of the game, but then would completely shut down the Chicago lineup
HEADLINE
"HAMILTON DIDNT NEED MUCH TIME IN SHUTING DOWN THE WHITE SOX"
FEATURED GAME
1914 - Browns LHP Earl Hamilton would dominate the Chicago White Sox, 2-1, in a two hit victory in just 1:25. The fourth year pitcher would have a difficult time with the first three batters of the game, but then would completely shut down the Chicago lineup. Lead off hitter Ray Demmitt would double, Harry Lord would sacrifice Demmitt to third, and Hal Chase would drive him on an error by the catcher. That was the end of any production from the White Sox. Earl Hamilton would only give up two walks the rest of the game. The Browns would get five hits off of Reb Russell, with one being the first home run of the year for LF Tillie Walker. 3B Jimmy Austin would get a sacrice hit to drive in CF Burt Shotton. The amazing thing is that the entire game would be over in 1:25 minutes.
BROWNS' ALL-TIME RECORD ON THIS DAY
13 WINS, 31 LOSSES
1902-09: 1-7
1910-19: 2-8
1920-29: 5-4
1930-39: 3-3
1940-49: 3-4
1950-53: 0-3
DOUBLE-HEADERS:
Sweep: 1943 over the Chicago White Sox
TRANSACTIONS
1910 - Browns purchased the contract of 1B Pat Newnam from Houston Buffalos of the Texas League. Newman had been a standout in with Houston and the San Antonio Missions, for most of the first decade of the 1900s. He hit .350 in his first 38 games as the Buffaloes first baseman. After the Browns acquired Newman, he would be the primary first baseman for St. Louis. He would spend the 1910-11 seasons with the Browns, hitting a combined .213 in 213 games. After a slow start in 1911, Newman would return to Houston where he would play for the next nine seasons.
DEBUTS
1909 - UTIL Art Griggs would pinch hit for Browns pitcher Jack Powell in the bottom of the eighth inning. He was unable to get a hit in the Browns 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Naps.
1913 - Catcher Bill McAllester would pinch hit for Sam Agnew, in the Browns 9-2 loss to the Cleveland Naps
1935 - Hal Warnock would get a double in his first MLB at bat, as he pinch hit for Fay Thomas. It would be only one of three hits the Browns would record in the 7-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians
1952 - Pete Taylor makes his MLB debut in the 9th inning, in relief of Cliff Fannin, giving up the final three runs, of a Browns 13-6 loss to the Red Sox
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1891 - 1B John Leary (1914-15)
The 1949 St. Louis Browns were a team at a cross roads in their time in St. Louis. Richard Muckerman was looking to sell the financially strapped team, and desperately wanted to keep them in St. Louis. Once the word got out that he was looking to sell the team, he would receive offers from Dallas, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Baltimore. He
The 1949 St. Louis Browns were a team at a cross roads in their time in St. Louis. Richard Muckerman was looking to sell the financially strapped team, and desperately wanted to keep them in St. Louis. Once the word got out that he was looking to sell the team, he would receive offers from Dallas, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, and Baltimore. He felt a responsibility to St. Louis, and would turn to Bill and Charley DeWitt to purchase the team and keep them in Sportsman's Park.
On February 2, 1949, the DeWitts purchased Muckerman's shares in the team, and held a 2/3 ownership of the Browns. The DeWitts grew up in the Browns organizaton. They started selling concessions in St. Louis ballparks as early as 1915. They learned the baseball business under Branch Rickey, worked beside Donald Barnes, and earned their law degrees along the way.
The enthusiasm of the new ownership, did not help the product on the field. The Browns roster was full of young exciting players, but would go on to lose 101 games. Luckily there was the Washington Senators in the American League, who lost 104 games and ended up in 8th place. Ned Garver, Cliff Fannin, and Joe Ostrowski led the pitching staff. Local product, Roy Sievers, would finish with a .301 batting average and win the first American League Rookie of the Year.
Even though the Browns were towards the bottom of the American League, the DeWitts vowed to increase the fan base around the St. Louis area. they would hire a public relations team that spent time and money promoting the team to the baseball fans in the area. With the Cardinals management struggling both on and off the field, the DeWitts believed St. Louis would be a Browns city.