St. Louis Browns legendary catcher Clint Courtney was born on March 16, 1927 in Hall Summit, Louisiana. Courtney had two separate nicknames that fit him perfectly for the era that he played. "Scrap Iron" was given to him by Browns announcer Buddy Blattner and pitcher Duane Pillette after a fall during a race left Courtney's legs all cut u
St. Louis Browns legendary catcher Clint Courtney was born on March 16, 1927 in Hall Summit, Louisiana. Courtney had two separate nicknames that fit him perfectly for the era that he played. "Scrap Iron" was given to him by Browns announcer Buddy Blattner and pitcher Duane Pillette after a fall during a race left Courtney's legs all cut up and bleeding. Courtney did not miss a game with his heavily bandaged legs. His second nickname "The Toy Bulldog" was given by Browns' broadcaster Dizzy Dean due to his balanced hard and soft personas. As a true country boy from rural Louisiana, he was often the toughest individual on the field and everyone knew it. Courtney would be forever known as the first catcher in modern baseball to wear glasses under his mask while behind the plate.
Clint Courtney was drafted into the service during World War II in 1944. He would serve three years in the US Army, where he saw action in Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. He played for the various Army teams while enlisted, and soon after being discharged the New York Yankees signed him to his first contract. They then delegated him to the Bisbee Yanks of the Arizona-Texas League, and then the Beaumont Exporters in 1947. While playing for the Exporters, he was managed by former Browns manager Rogers Hornsby.
Courtney would play for six teams in five seasons within the Yankees farm system. He would eventually be called up by the Yankees in 1951, for a brief look at the end of the season. The Yankees already had several MLB experienced catchers, including Yogi Berra (1951 AL MVP), so the future did not look good for Courtney. The Yankees traded Clint Courtney to the Browns on November 23, 1951 for RHP Jim McDonald.
Over the final two Browns' seasons, Clint Courtney would play more games at catcher than any player. He would put together an amazing rookie season which would end with him finishing second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. His .286 batting average included 118 hits, 24 doubles, five home runs, and 50 RBIs.
Courtney was also an intimidating force on the field that often led to "fisticuffs" and fines. On July 12, 1952, he got in a fight with Yankees 2B Billy Martin, when Courtney took exception to a hard tag to the face while attempting to steal second base. The following season, Courtney would take on the entire Yankees team on April 28, 1953. In this brawl, Courtney applied a hard slide to Yankees SS Phil Rizzuto while breaking up a double play. This encounter lasted a full 17 minutes, had reports of Courtney clobbering Rizzuto, and carrying Billy Martin on his back while throwing blows with the rest of the Bronx Bombers. After another scruff with Detroit's Johnny Bucha in July of 1953, Courtney would show he could clobber a baseball as well as an opponent. On July 16, Clint Courtney, 1B Dick Kryhoski, and 3B Jim Dyck would hit three consecutive home runs off Yankees' Johnny Sain for one of the last great highlights in Browns history.
Clint Courtney was loved by his fellow teammates. When the Louisiana-born country boy began receiving pitches from Satchell Paige, some people were worried about the chemistry. The two players became good friends that respected and cared for each other.
Clint Cortney followed the team as they moved to Baltimore for the 1954 season, and hit the first MLB home run in Baltimore's Memorial Stadium. Courtney would go on play professional baseball for another 11 years. He saw action with the Baltimore Orioles (1954, 60-61), Chicago White Sox (1955), Washington Nationals (1956-59), and the Kansas City Athletics (1961).
After three final seasons in the minors, Clint Cortney became coach and manager in the Braves organization. While managing the Richmond Braves in 1975, he would suffer a heart attack and was taken too early from the baseball world. He was a true old school baseball player that played hard, and never asked anything from his players that he would not do himself.
Today's Browns Quote
“Clint Courtney was only tough on the outside. Inside, he was a soft, compassionate human being, more outspoken than he should’ve been at times perhaps, but with uncommon understanding and honest concern for others which always transcended the rough exterior he chose to show the world.” ~ U
Today's Browns Quote
“Clint Courtney was only tough on the outside. Inside, he was a soft, compassionate human being, more outspoken than he should’ve been at times perhaps, but with uncommon understanding and honest concern for others which always transcended the rough exterior he chose to show the world.” ~ UPI Sportswriter, Milton Richmond, June 17, 1975
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1910 - RHP Bob Poser (1935)
1927 - Catcher Clint Courtney (1952-53)
BROWNS' CHALENGED IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION
The 1933 St. Louis Browns team was not prepared for the financial crisis that came with the American Great Depression. The Browns had been owned by Phil Ball since he team merged with his St. Louis Terriers of the Federal Baseball league in 1916. There were plenty of adjectives that people used describe Phil Ball, but he was a true baseball man. He cared about his team, his players, and the Browns estate.
Phil Ball passed away on October 22, 1933. It is safe to say that the St. Louis Browns would begin a downward spiral after hs death. Phil Ball held 87% of the Browns, and that was passed on to his wife and two chidren. Not one of them were interested in the team. The ownership of the team would fall into a trust that was governed by two of Ball's attorneys - Louis Von Weise and Ellen Jacoby. There were other ownership partners, but no one had any baseball experience.
Oklahoma oilman Carle McEvoy and Walter Fritisch were more fans than actual baseball executives. There were inital rumors that oilman Walter Sinclair was interested in purchasig the team, but Von Weise was not willing to sell. For the next two years, the state of the Browns would begin to crumble both on and off the field. Von Weise would continuously keep the estate fortune away from paying off the team a expenses and growing debt. The Browns began selling off any player with value in order to keep the franchise afloat.
Eventually the financial disaster was too great for Von Weise to handle so he sought a buyer for the team. A St. Louis businessman would step to the plate and guide the team into the next decade........
The 1913 St. Louis Browns had a record of 57-96-2, finishing in 8th place in the American League, 39 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics. This team finished 10 games better than their previous team in 1912. The only real consolation of the season was the St. Louis Cardinals finished the season with a 51-99 record. This would be the on
The 1913 St. Louis Browns had a record of 57-96-2, finishing in 8th place in the American League, 39 games behind the Philadelphia Athletics. This team finished 10 games better than their previous team in 1912. The only real consolation of the season was the St. Louis Cardinals finished the season with a 51-99 record. This would be the only time in which both St. Louis teams would finish in the cellar of their leagues.
SEASON BREAKDON