St. Louis Browns 2B Bill Kenworthy was born on July 4, 1886 in Cambridge, Ohio. Throughout his 17-year professional baseball career, he would excel at every position on the field. His pitching career would result in a 75-47 record as he became one of the finest hurlers in the minor leagues. His batting statistics would show that he would
St. Louis Browns 2B Bill Kenworthy was born on July 4, 1886 in Cambridge, Ohio. Throughout his 17-year professional baseball career, he would excel at every position on the field. His pitching career would result in a 75-47 record as he became one of the finest hurlers in the minor leagues. His batting statistics would show that he would be one the most feared hitters in the Federal League. Over his career, he would be known by several nicknames like "Duke", "Judge", "Lord", "Kopecks", and "Iron Duke".
Prior to his baseball career, Kenworthy would attend Muskingum University (New Concord, Ohio) where he earned a teaching degree. He would teach during the winter months of his first six baseball seasons.
Kenworthy would begin his career with the Beaver Falls Beavers, and later East Liverpool in 1907. He would jump to the Zanesville Infants of the Central League were he would become a duel-threat player. Over the following three seasons (1908-10) Kenworthy would average 21 wins in over 300 innings, while averaging 52 hits and a .243 average. His contract was purchased by the Denver Grizzlies in 1911, where he batted .315 and pitched to a 9-3 record.
The following season saw him play ever position on the field. After a late-season workout with the Washington Senators in 1912, Kenworthy would spend one year with the Sacramento Solons (1913), before becoming a star with the Kansas City Packers of the Federal Baseball League (1914-15). In 1914, "Judge" Kenworthy finished in top ten in every offensive category in the FBL, and when the league collapsed in 1915 he would be the franchise leader in most categories.
The Browns would acquire Bill Kenworthy from the Oakland Oaks in the Rule 5 draft on September 15, 1916. He would make his Browns debut on April 15, 1917 as a pinch hitter for RHP Bob Groom. His best game with the Browns came in the second game of a double-header against the Chicago White Sox on May 8, 1917. He would get his first hit off Sox pitcher, Lefty Williams in the bottom of the second inning. He would score his only run, when OF Burt Shotton singled to left field. After just five games with the Browns, Kenworthy's contract would be sent to the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. His final numbers with the Browns include 11 plate appearances resulting in one hit, one run, one walk, one strikeout, one RBI, and a .100 batting average.
"Duke" Kenworthy would finish out the season with the Angels, and then "Lord" Kenworthy would be a star in 1919. Between these seasons, Bill Kenworthy would serve in the Navy shipyard in San Francisco during World War I in 1918.
The post-war seasons of Bill Kenworthy saw him play for the Seattle Indians (1919-21), Portland Beavers (1922, 24), and Columbus Senators (1923). He would spend time as a player-manager for each one of these organizations, and the Seattle newspapers would often refer to him as "Kopecks" Kenworthy. He would continue to coach for the rest of his days, including time with the Oakland Oaks (1939-41) and St. Mary's College (1948).
Bill Kenworthy would spend his entre life around the game he loved. He would suffer an untimely passing as he drowned in a boating accident in 1950.
HEADLINE
"BROWNS BALK HISTORY BY SWEEPING THE WHITE SOX IN HOLIDAY DOUBLE HEADER"
FEATURED GAME
1931 - The Browns would take both games of a double header hosting the Chicago White Sox at Sportsman's Park. GAME 1 - The Browns RHP Rip Collins would out pitch the White Sox with a complete game, 4-3 victory. Every Browns batter (except Goos
HEADLINE
"BROWNS BALK HISTORY BY SWEEPING THE WHITE SOX IN HOLIDAY DOUBLE HEADER"
FEATURED GAME
1931 - The Browns would take both games of a double header hosting the Chicago White Sox at Sportsman's Park. GAME 1 - The Browns RHP Rip Collins would out pitch the White Sox with a complete game, 4-3 victory. Every Browns batter (except Goose Goslin) would record at least one hit, and St. Louis would only strikeout once throughout the game. The Browns would only record eight hits, but every hit would be important towards the win. In the bottom of the third inning with the game tied 1-1, Catcher Russ Young would drive a solo home run in to left field. The White Sox would score two runs and lead 3-2 going into the the bottom of the sixth inning. 1B Jack Burns would hit a bases clearing double, scoring LF Goose Goslin and RF Larry Bettencourt to take the lead 4-3. Rip Collins would scatter 11 hits, three runs, while striking out three in the first game of the twin bill. GAME 2 - The Browns take the second game of the double header behind the strong outing from RHP George Blaeholder, and a six-run fourth inning, leading to an 8-5 Browns victory. The Browns would record ten hits, including nine singles and only a double off the bat of SS Jim Levey. The Browns would be up 2-1 going into the fourth inning, when they would bring 12 batters to the plate. The Browns would earn five singles and three walks off White Sox pitchers Vic Frazier and Garland Braxton. The Browns were led by 2B Oscar Melillo who went 2-for-4, with three runs batted in. 3B Red Kress would also go 2-for-4 with an RBI. 1B Jack Burns would add two RBIs (giving him five total bases for the day) while scoring two runs. Blaeholder would scatter 12 hits and five runs over eight innings. RHP Chad Kimsey would enter the game in the ninth Inning to collect his third save of the season.
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
The Fourth of July was not the best holiday for the St. Louis Browns. Traditionally a day of double headers, the Browns would have a 35-63 record (.357 winning percentage) on Independence Day
Overall Record on July 4
35 Wins, 63 Losses (.357)
1902-09: 5-10
1910-19: 4-15
1920-29: 9-8
1930-39: 6-14
1940-49: 10-6
1950-53: 1-7
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 6
Splits: 22
Swept: 18
TRANSACTIONS
There were no transactions made on this day
DEBUTS
1919 - St. Louis native Gene Robertson makes his MLB debut as a Pinch Hitter for Pitcher Bert Gallia, going 0-1 in a 9-4 Browns loss to the Indians
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS
1880 - RF Pinky Swander (1903-04)
1886 - 2B Bill Kenworthy (1917)
The 1918 St. Louis Browns would be a team effected by war, a shortened season, missing players, and possible sale of the struggling Cardinals. With the entry of the United States into World War I, the U.S. War Department issued a "Work of Fight" announcement which pulled several ball players in to the service, and threatened the 1918 seas
The 1918 St. Louis Browns would be a team effected by war, a shortened season, missing players, and possible sale of the struggling Cardinals. With the entry of the United States into World War I, the U.S. War Department issued a "Work of Fight" announcement which pulled several ball players in to the service, and threatened the 1918 season. The Browns had several players enter the service including OF William Rumpler, OF Tod Sloan, OF Baby Doll Jacobson, RHP Bill Fincher, and RHP Urban Shocker. Because of the loss of ball players, and the war waging in Europe the season was shortened to just 123 games.
The Browns would finish with a 58-64-1 record, which would be good for a fifth place finish,15 games behind the Boston Red Sox. The Browns were carried by 1B George Sisler who would get 154 hits, and 45 stolen bases (which would lead the American League).
In 1918, the fate of the St. Louis Cardinals was being argued. The financially troubled team was being sold for $350,000, and the group of St. Louis businessmen who were attempting to complete the transaction was losing momentum. If the transaction could not be settled, the Cardinals could be sold and moved to another city. This would greatly effect the Browns, for they would be the only ball club in St. Louis. The deal would not be settled until auto dealer Sam Breadon, purchased the remaining stock, and the team settles back into their St. Louis home. Branch Rickey, who was now leading the Cardinals, negotiated deals that would financially benefit the Browns while keeping the Cardinals in St. Louis.
Then there was the long, troubled relationship between the Browns players and suspected gamblers around baseball. The accusations and rumors that surrounded the team would bring up questions of players honor on the field, and a manager's willingness to accept it.
This would be a rough year for the Browns.