St. Louis native, Jack Tobin, was born on May 4, 1892, and would be a part of St. Louis baseball from 1914 through 1925. Tobin started playing baseball throughout the amateur leagues in St. Louis as early as 1909. He would compile a 13-year MLB season, with 11 of those seasons in St Louis.
Tobin would start out in the "outlaw" Federal Bas
St. Louis native, Jack Tobin, was born on May 4, 1892, and would be a part of St. Louis baseball from 1914 through 1925. Tobin started playing baseball throughout the amateur leagues in St. Louis as early as 1909. He would compile a 13-year MLB season, with 11 of those seasons in St Louis.
Tobin would start out in the "outlaw" Federal Baseball League in 1913, a year prior to the official formation of the league. He played with the St. Louis Terriers for both seasons of the FBL, leading the league in hits, at bats, and plate appearances. When the Federal Baseball League folded after the 1915 season, the Terriers owner purchased the Browns and was prepared to bring his best players to the Browns. On February 10, 1916, new owner Phil Ball would bring Jack Tobin, along with 10 other former Terriers players to the Browns.
In his first season with the Browns, Tobin would appear in only 77 games and bat a career low .213. He would spend the 1917 season with the Salt Lake City Bees where he regained his swing and hit .331. He returned to the Browns the following season and would hit above .299 from 1919 to 1925.
He was a member of arguably the best outfield in the history of baseball. Between Jack Tobin, Baby Doll Jacobson, and Ken Williams, the Browns three outfielders would all hit above .300 for four consecutive seasons. It would have been five seasons, if it wasn't for Tobin hitting .299 in 1925.
Jack Tobin, also known as "Johnny" Tobin, was known as one of the best bunters in the history of baseball. Tobin was once quoted as saying, "I was a .330 hitter most of my career. I'd bat .030, and bunt .300".
Tobin was well loved by his teammates, and respected by other teams in the American League. His team mate and manger, George Sisler, once said " One of the best lead off men I ever saw. He was fast and a good outfielder with a strong throwing arm."
Jack Tobin could easily be one of the best players to ever come out of the city of St Louis.
HEADLINE
"POWELL AND BROWNS' POWER TOO MUCH FOR CLEVELAND "
FEATURED GAME
1903 - Browns RHP Jack Powell silences the mighty bats of the Cleveland Napoleons, and the offense is led by an outfield where ever player contributes in a 6-1 victory. Powell would a pitch a complete game, scattering six hits, a walk, and giving up a late run on a fie
HEADLINE
"POWELL AND BROWNS' POWER TOO MUCH FOR CLEVELAND "
FEATURED GAME
1903 - Browns RHP Jack Powell silences the mighty bats of the Cleveland Napoleons, and the offense is led by an outfield where ever player contributes in a 6-1 victory. Powell would a pitch a complete game, scattering six hits, a walk, and giving up a late run on a fielders choice. LF Jesse Burkett and CF Emmitt Heidrick both would go 2-for-4 while scoring two runs a piece. Heidrick would also drive in a run with his second double of the young season. 1B John Anderson and 2B Barry McCormick would be responsible for driving in five runs in their two combined hits. The win would bring the Browns record to 4-5 in their first nine games
BROWNS' ALL-TIME RECORD ON THIS DAY
18 WINS, 24 LOSSES, A TIE
1902-09: 3-4
1910-19: 5-3-1
1920-29: 5-3
1930-39: 3-4
1940-49: 1-7
1950-53: 1-3
DOUBLE-HEADERS:
Loss two series: 1947, 1952
TRANSACTIONS
1911 - Browns purchase the contract of OF Paul Meloan from the White Sox. A native of Paynesville, Missouri, and a graduate of Washington University, Meloan would play 64 games with the Browns while recording a .262 batting average, which would be a career high. While platooning in the outfield, he would score 30 runs on 54 hits, including three homers, and 14 RBIs. At the end of the season, the Browns would send him to the Toledo Mud hens to finish the 1911 season.
DEBUTS
1910 - C/1B Fletcher Manson Allen, nicknamed "Sled" would face the legendary Cy Young in his first MLB at bat. He would come in to the game for catcher Bill Agnew, in a 3-3 tie game with the Cleveland Napoleons
1914 - William Rumler would get the starting assignment at catcher in his first MLB game. He would get a hit in his first at bat, and the Browns would beat the White Sox 1-0
1943 - Sid Peterson makes his MLB debut in relief of Al Hollingsworth and Paul Dean, pitching two hitless innings, in a 4-3 loss to the Tigers. In the same game, SS Floyd Baker would appear as a pinch hitter for Don Gutteridge but was not able to reach base.
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1917 - LHP Hal Hudson (1952)
1892 - OF Jack Tobin (1916, 18-25)
1915 - RHP John "Ox" Miller (1943, 45-46)
The 1949 Browns were made up of younger players with very little veteran leadership. With only three players over the age of 30, the importance of veterans Jerry Priddy and Bob Dillenger would weigh heavily on the rest of the team. The Browns pitching staff was made up of young hurlers under the guidance of older accomplished pitchers. Wh
The 1949 Browns were made up of younger players with very little veteran leadership. With only three players over the age of 30, the importance of veterans Jerry Priddy and Bob Dillenger would weigh heavily on the rest of the team. The Browns pitching staff was made up of young hurlers under the guidance of older accomplished pitchers. Where the batting and pitching numbers may not measure up to other American League teams, the area in which this team needed to improve the most was in thier fielding. They would lead the league in errors (165), and finish last in team fielding percentage (.972). The Browns would improve in all statistics over the next few years.
1949 Season Breakdown