St. Louis Browns LHP Harry Albes was born on October 4, 1883, in Terrell, Texas. In the early days of the Texas League, "Hans" Albes took almost legendary status. He stood 6'3" and weighed 215 pounds. It was said that his hands were so big that his fingers could wrap around the ball and completely hide it from view.
He was pitching at Sou
St. Louis Browns LHP Harry Albes was born on October 4, 1883, in Terrell, Texas. In the early days of the Texas League, "Hans" Albes took almost legendary status. He stood 6'3" and weighed 215 pounds. It was said that his hands were so big that his fingers could wrap around the ball and completely hide it from view.
He was pitching at Southwestern University when he was discovered by the Memphis Egyptians of the Southern League in 1904. The following season Albes recorded a 17-13 campaign with a 1.73 ERA while pitching for the Dallas Giants. This caught the attention of the Browns, and they called him up for September run. (There is no transaction record of the Browns acquiring Albes)
Albes would debut with the Browns on September 2, 1905, starting a game against the Detroit Tigers. He would only last 1.2 innings before being pulled earning the loss. Albes would appear in six games for the Browns in September of 1905, with a 0-3 record and a 3.82 ERA. He started three games for the Browns and finished three games, with just one complete game. He allowed 37 hits, 13 walks, and struck out 13 batters.
The Browns would not bring Albes back for the 1906 season, but he would go on to pitch for another ten years in the minor leagues. Albes would spend most of his time the San Antonio Bronchos (1908-10), Oakland Oaks (1911-15), and the San Francisco Seals (1915). He would record 310 strikeouts while pitching for San Antonio in 1910, which is the longest standing pitching record in the Texas League.
Albes would make two more brief MLB stints, appearing in five games for the Cleveland Naps (1909), and three games for the New York Highlanders (1911).
There is little information on the life of Harry Albes after his final season with San Francisco in 1915. He pitched one game for the San Antonio Bears in 1925, and another in 1926. He would remain with San Antonio and served as team President from 1926-28. He would remain in San Antonio, sharing baseball stories and tall tales for the rest of his days.
HEADLINES
"BROWNS THUMP DETROIT AS THEY CLOSE OUT THE SEASON ON A FOUR GAME WINNING STREAK"
FEATURED GAME
1921 - The Browns would record 15 hits and 12 runs as they pummel the Tigers, 12-3. Seven Browns players recorded a hit, including three doubles, a triple, and seven stolen bases. St. Louis was led by CF Baby Doll Jacobson who was perf
HEADLINES
"BROWNS THUMP DETROIT AS THEY CLOSE OUT THE SEASON ON A FOUR GAME WINNING STREAK"
FEATURED GAME
1921 - The Browns would record 15 hits and 12 runs as they pummel the Tigers, 12-3. Seven Browns players recorded a hit, including three doubles, a triple, and seven stolen bases. St. Louis was led by CF Baby Doll Jacobson who was perfect in his five plate appearances, including a double while scoring two runs and driving in one more. 1B George Sisler would collect two hits, score three runs while driving in another. Jacobson and Sisler would be responsible for the seven stolen bases. LF Jack Tobin and 2B Marty McMaus would both collect two hits, both scored two runs, and collect 3 RBIs combined. Tobin hit a double and McManus a triple. The final double was tallied by catcher Hank Severeid who scored two runs and an RBI. RHP Dixie Davis would pitch a brillant complete game allowing three runs on 11 hits, walking two and striking out three Tigers. This finish by the Browns would launch them into an offseason to get ready for the 1922 season. The '22 season would be the greatest in the history of the franchise, missing the World Series by just one game.
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on OCTOBER 2
6 Wins 14 Losses (.300)
1902-09: 1 - 4
1910-19: 0 - 5
1920-29: 3 - 0
1930-39: 1 - 2
1940-41: 1 - 3
1950-53: 0 - 0
DOUBLEADERS
Sweeps: 0
Splits: 2
Swept: 2
TRANSACTIONS
1933 - The Browns drafted RHP Bobo Newsom in the Rule 5 Draft from the Chicago Cubs. Newsom would go on to lead the American League with 20 losses, 149 walks, and 1159 batters faced in 1934. Over his career, he would be involved in six separate trades with the Browns.
DEBUTS
There were no debuts on this day
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS ON OCTOBER 2
There were no birthdays on this day
The impact of the 1926 Browns season could be seen as the last chance for Browns legends to play together in St. Louis. With their window of opportunity almost closed in the decade, the Browns were looking at a slow turn over of players as the twenties close out.
With St. Louis native RF Jack Tobin and ace RHP Urban Shocker already one, t
The impact of the 1926 Browns season could be seen as the last chance for Browns legends to play together in St. Louis. With their window of opportunity almost closed in the decade, the Browns were looking at a slow turn over of players as the twenties close out.
With St. Louis native RF Jack Tobin and ace RHP Urban Shocker already one, the Browns would send CF Baby Doll Jacobson to the Athletics in June. The return in this trade would be CF Bing Miller who would shine over the next two seasons.
The Browns pitching was an example of what happens when the staff leads in the categories that reflect opposing batter's success. They gave up more home runs and walks than any other staff in the American League. The staff only had one pitcher with a winning record in a group of 13 pitchers.
The Browns best franchise player, George Sisler, was in his last season of managing the team. The record of 62-92 would land them in seventh place.
Thankfully the Boston Red Sox would lose 15 more games than the Browns would in 1926. Which is another example of things not being as bad as they appear.