St. Louis Browns INF Art Scharein was born on June 30, 1905 in Decatur, Illinois. He was the older brother of INF George Scharein who played three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (1937-40). Art "Scoop" Scharein would put together a 15-season professional baseball career, which included 12 seasons within the Browns organization (193
St. Louis Browns INF Art Scharein was born on June 30, 1905 in Decatur, Illinois. He was the older brother of INF George Scharein who played three seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (1937-40). Art "Scoop" Scharein would put together a 15-season professional baseball career, which included 12 seasons within the Browns organization (1931-42). His time with St. Louis would be his only MLB experience (1932-34).
Scharein would begin his baseball career with the Jeanette Jays of the Mid-Atlantic League in 1927. After missing the 1928 season, he would play for the Springfield Midgets (1929), and Topeka Senators (1930). There are no transaction records between Scharein and the Browns, but he began his time with the organization when he was assigned to the Wichita Falls Spudders (1931).
"Scoop" batted .275 for the Spudders in 1932, which earned him a call from the Browns in June of 1932. He would make his MLB debut on June 6, 1932, in a 5-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Scharein would go 2-for-3 of Bob Weiland including a double and a run scored. His versatility in the field made a key role player for the Browns from 1932-34. He would play 172 games at third base, 27 games at shortstop, nine games at second base, four games as a pinch hitter, and two as a pinch runner.
He was the primary third baseman for the Browns in his only full season in St. Louis (1933). As good as his .956 fielding percentage kept him on the field, his .201 batting average became a liability in the lineup.
With evolution of Browns legendary 3B Harlond Clift in 1934, Scharein would only see action in one game (June 3, 1934) before being assigned to the St. Paul Saints and later the San Antonio Missions. He would remain with the Missions through the 1939 season. He would return to Springfield (1940-41), before closing out his career with the Huntington Jewels in 1942.
Art Scharein's final statistics with the Browns included 189 hits in 205 games, including 32 doubles, five triples, 11 stolen bases, and 70 RBIs. He would lead the American League with 31 double plays turned by a third baseman in 1933.
There is little known about his life after he retired from baseball. He would settle down in San Antonio where he raised his family. He probably spent a large amount of time sharing baseball stories with his brother and other family members.
HEADLINE
"McMANUS' CRANKS FRIRT MLB HOMER OF KERR AS BROWNS THUMP CHISOX IN DOUBLE-HEADER"
FEATURED GAME
1921 - The Browns took both ends of a double header from the Chicago White Sox at Sportsman's Park. GAME 1 - Browns RHP Elam Vangilder pitched a complete game victory over the White Sox for his third win of the season. He kept the Sox hit
HEADLINE
"McMANUS' CRANKS FRIRT MLB HOMER OF KERR AS BROWNS THUMP CHISOX IN DOUBLE-HEADER"
FEATURED GAME
1921 - The Browns took both ends of a double header from the Chicago White Sox at Sportsman's Park. GAME 1 - Browns RHP Elam Vangilder pitched a complete game victory over the White Sox for his third win of the season. He kept the Sox hitters quiet by only allowing a run on four hits, while striking out four. He did not issue a walk during the entire game. The Browns hitters were very busy belting 12 hits off Chicago pitching. 1B George Sisler would go 3-for-4 with a triple, scoring two runs, and recording his 17th stolen base of the season. The best hitting outfield in basebal (LF Ken Williamsn, CF Babby Doll Jacobson, RF Jack Tobin) would combine for six hits, including a double, and two RBIs. The star of the game was rookie 2B Marty McManus who hit his first MLB home run off Dickie Kerr. he also recorded three runs batted in, while scoring a run himself. GAME 2 - The second game of the day was a pitching duel between the Browns RHP Ray Kolp and White Sox RHP Roy Wilkinson. Both pitchers would last all nine innings, with Kolp scattering four hits, and Wilkinson giving up only five hits. The difference was a towering home run by Browns' LF Ken Williams in the bottom of the second inning. Williams would go 3-for-3 in the game, and 5-for-7 with a double, home run, three RBIs, a run scored, and a stolen base.
(Did you know - Dickie Kerr was one of Stan Musial's managers in the minors, and Musials's son Dick Musial was named after Kerr)
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on June 29
22 Wins, 27 Losses, Two Ties (.431)
1902-09: 1-5-1
1910-19: 4-8
1920-29: 5-5
1930-39: 4-6
1940-49: 6-2-1
1950-53: 2-1
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 0
Splits: 6
Swept: 2
TRANSACTIONS
1911 - Browns purchased the contract of RHP Josh Swindell from Winston-Salem. He would never play for the Browns, but would debut with Cleveland in 1911.
1920 - Browns purchased the contract of catcher Johnnie Heving from Battle Creek (Exact date was uncertain). He would make his MLB debut on September 20, which would be his only game with the Browns.
1932 - Browns trade OF Tom Jenkins to the Cardinals for OF/PH George "Steamboat" Fisher. Jenkins would play in 129 games over four seasons (1929-32), With his best season coming in 1931, when he batted .265 in 81 games. Fisher would appear in just 18 games for the Browns batting just.182.
DEBUTS
1943 - RF Al Zarilla would go 2-for-4, including a bunt single to lead off the 5th inning, in the Browns 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Athletics. Zarilla would become a mainstay in the Browns outfield through the 1948 season.
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS
1880 - RF Davy Jones (1902)
1905 - INF Art Scharein (1932-34)
The manager of the St. Louis Browns in 1930 was the veteran, Bill Killefer. "Reindeer Bill" Killefer had a 13-year MLB career where he spent time as a catcher with the Browns (1909-10), Phillies (1911-17), and Cubs (18-21). He would have a career .238 batting average, while driving in 240 runs.
His managerial career started in 1921, when
The manager of the St. Louis Browns in 1930 was the veteran, Bill Killefer. "Reindeer Bill" Killefer had a 13-year MLB career where he spent time as a catcher with the Browns (1909-10), Phillies (1911-17), and Cubs (18-21). He would have a career .238 batting average, while driving in 240 runs.
His managerial career started in 1921, when he took over for Johnny Evers as the Cubs skipper. He served as the Cubs player manager, and led the team to a 23-34 record in the last half of the season. He would continue to manage the Cubs 1925, when he resigned half way through the season. He joined the coaching staff of the St. Louis Cardinals for the last half of 1925, and was actually offered the manager positions for the 1926 season. He declined the role and moved across the field to join the Browns staff.
After the 1929 season, Bill Killefer took over the Browns manager position from David Howley, and would guide the team for the next three-plus seasons. It was said that Killefer was a manager who listened to his players concerns, and excelled in building on-field relationships. In his first year with the Browns, he had to contend with owner Phil Ball's constant roster adjustments from the administrative offices. He also had to play referee between the disgruntled players and over bearing ownership. At the end of the 1930 season, Killefer would win 64 games, which would be his best season in his time with the Browns.