St. Louis Browns catcher, Walt Alexander, was born on March 5, 1891 in Atlanta, Georgia. In a 19-year professional baseball career, he would play for 15 organizations while acting as a player-manager for six of those teams. While he may not have been the solid catcher that teams are built around, he would record a 338-294 record as a mana
St. Louis Browns catcher, Walt Alexander, was born on March 5, 1891 in Atlanta, Georgia. In a 19-year professional baseball career, he would play for 15 organizations while acting as a player-manager for six of those teams. While he may not have been the solid catcher that teams are built around, he would record a 338-294 record as a manager in the minor leagues.
Walt Alexander began his baseball career as a 19-year old prospect for the Ellsworth Blues of the Central Kansas League in 1910. He would later play for the Manhattan Maroons (1911) and the Ogden Canners (1912) before the Browns added him to their roster.
St. Louis would purchase Alexander's contract for $1,200 on June 3, 1912. He would join a team that would have eight catchers throughout the 1912 season, looking for the next star to emerge. Alexander would make his debut on June 21 as a defensive replacement for Jim Stephens in the 6th inning. He would appear in 37 games by the end of the season, only behind Jim Stephens (75 games) and Paul Krichell (59 games).
Alexander could have seen more action if his offensive production was stronger. In his first season with the Browns he would record 17 hits while striking out 29 times with a .175 batting average. His 1913 season was not much better. His average actually dropped to a rough .136, with 36 strikeouts and just 15 hits. This may have led to the Browns sending his contract to the Kansas City Blues on September 22, 1913.
He would spend the 1914 season with Kansas City, and then to the Browns roster to start the 1915 season. He would see just one plate appearance, against Chicago's Red Faber (April 15, 1915) which resulted in an out. The Browns would send Alexander back to Kansas City, where his contract would later be purchased by the New York Yankees. He would send three seasons with New York (44 hits in 81 games) before returning to the minors for the final 12 seasons of his career. He would play for the Toledo Mud Hens (1918) and Beaumont Oilers (1919-22).
Walt Alexander shifted his focus to leading on the field for his final seven seasons was as a player-manager for some of the more colorful nickname teams in the country. He would lead the San Angelo Bronchos (1922), Marlin Bathers (1923-24), Greenville Hunters (1925), Austin Senators (1926), Palestine Pals (1928), and San Angelo Sheep Herders.
There is little known of Walt Alexander after his baseball years. He would eventually settle down and live a long life in Fort Worth, Texas. Although he seemed to have lived in annonymity, it is easily assumed that he had plenty of stories to share of his baseball playing years.
Today's Browns Quote
"It was easy to do with Ned, because he was also the best hitter on the team and there was never any reason to take him out for a pinch hitter in the late innings. There was almost nothing Ned could do to get knocked out of a game."
~ Bill Veeck, discussing the athletic ability of Ned Garver during his incredible 195
Today's Browns Quote
"It was easy to do with Ned, because he was also the best hitter on the team and there was never any reason to take him out for a pinch hitter in the late innings. There was almost nothing Ned could do to get knocked out of a game."
~ Bill Veeck, discussing the athletic ability of Ned Garver during his incredible 1951 season.
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1896 - Catcher Bernie Hungling (1930)
1897 - 1B Lu Blue (1928-30)
1891 - C. Walt Alexander (1912-13,15)
DID YOU KNOW?
The 1920 season was one of the most impactful seasons in the history of Major League Baseball, This monumental season is considered the turning point between the "Dead Ball" era and the "Lively Ball" era. The differences between these two time periods were the most drastic for both the hitters and pitchers.
For the pitchers the biggest change came with the banning of "freak" pitches that were so prevalent in the "Dead Ball" era. Pitchers had begun to use different "tools" to scuff and alter the sides of the baseballs in order to help deliver pitches that drastically moved on the way to the plate. Emery boards were hidden in the pitchers glove to cut and rough the baseball for a better grip. The "Shine Ball" was introduced by rubbing the dirt off to make one side of the baseball heavier than the other side (In this time, it was common for oil to be sprayed on the field to keep the dust down, the Shine ball was also designed to rub the oil off the ball) The "freak pitch" that was most used and commonly associated with the Dead Ball era was the spitball. The design of the spitball was for the pitcher to raise his glove to his mouth and apply spit to one side or the other. This would make one side heavier than the other and the ball would erratically drop as it got closer to the plate. In 1920, MLB banned the use of the Spitball. After several pitchers complained of the ban, it was determined that if a pitcher was known to have used this saliva-based technique prior to 1920 then they would be allowed to continue to hurl the pitch. With the ban of "freak" pitches going into effect, the pitchers repertoire was decreased. Prior to 1920, the curveball was not used very much in the Major Leagues. Pitchers were either throwing straight fastballs, or the newly banned pitches.
The batters loved the new rule changes. The baseballs were not moving as much, as they with altered pitches. The number of wild pitches dropped over the course of 1920, so the batters were able to stay in the box with more ease. The baseball itself was wound tighter with better leather around it. Umpires were encouraged to use more baseballs during the games, so the balls were whiter than the dirty baseballs used prior to 1920. This led to more runs being scored. More home runs being launched. More excitement surrounding the game. More people filling the stands across the league. More than any other year in baseball, 1920 changed the way the game was played.
The 1951 St. Louis Browns pitching staff survived on the arms of two primary players - Ned Garver and Satchel Paige. Nothing against the skills and performance of the other staff members, but Garver and Paige were backbones of the staff. Garver would win 38% of all the Browns victories, and Paige would be responsible for 60% of the Browns
The 1951 St. Louis Browns pitching staff survived on the arms of two primary players - Ned Garver and Satchel Paige. Nothing against the skills and performance of the other staff members, but Garver and Paige were backbones of the staff. Garver would win 38% of all the Browns victories, and Paige would be responsible for 60% of the Browns saves. The rest of the Browns pitchers were still building their Major League skills.
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