St. Louis Browns outfielder Jim Delsing was born on November 13, 1925 in Rudolph, Wisconsin. Delsing would play 2805 games of professional baseball, but was best known for his one game with the Browns in 1951. He would play for 12 teams over 17 seasons, including ten minor league teams and five major league organizations. He was considere
St. Louis Browns outfielder Jim Delsing was born on November 13, 1925 in Rudolph, Wisconsin. Delsing would play 2805 games of professional baseball, but was best known for his one game with the Browns in 1951. He would play for 12 teams over 17 seasons, including ten minor league teams and five major league organizations. He was considered to be a great team player who would maintain friendships with teammates throughout his life.
Jim Delsing was a highly-rated prospect when he played baseball at Rudolph High School and local semipro teams in is hometown. He signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 with the Green Bay Blue Jays in 1942. After a his senior season, and another season of minor league baseball with the Lockport Cubs (1943), Delsing would be invited to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association.
He would not have a chance to play in 1944, for Delsing was drafted into the US Army during World War II. Delsing served with the 95th Evacuation Hospital for over a year in the European Theater.
He returned from service in 1945, and later rejoined the Brewers for the 1946 season. He would go one to play with the Eau Claire Bears (1946) and Hollywood Stars (1947) before making his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox on April 21, 1948. Delsing would be traded to the New York Yankees organization where he played for the Kansas City Bears (1949), before joining the major league team in 1949.
JIm Delsing joined the St. Louis Browns as part of a seven-player deal with the Yankees. New York sent Delsing, RHP Don Johnson, RHP Duane Pillette, INF Snuffy Stirnwiess, and $50,000 to the Browns for RHP Tom Ferrick, LHP Joe Ostrowski, and 3B Leo Thomas. Delsing would become the primary center fielder for the Browns over the next three seasons (950-52). He won the position in spring training in 1951, and started 131 games in 1951 and 93 in 1952. His best season came in 1951 when he recorded 59 runs on 112 hits, including 20 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, and driving in 45 runs.
Jim Delsing's biggest moment came on August 19, 1951 in a double header against the Detroit Tigers. After going 3-for-4 in game one, he was surprised to see that he was not in the lineup for game two. Browns manager Zack Taylor told him he would see action, but Delsing had no idea what was about to play out. Frank Saucier started the game in right field, but was pinch hit for in the first inning by Eddie Gaedel. After Gaedel earned his famous walk to first base, Taylor would have Delsing would enter the game as a pinch runner. He went 1-for-3 in the second game.
Delsing would become a solid team player for the Browns in 1952, and was on pace to eclipse his statistics from 1951. Like most Browns teams in the 1950s, the organization was strapped for cash and needed to trade off their talent to keep the franchise afloat. Delsing found himself involved in a second multi-player deal when the Browns and Detroit Tigers agreed to an eight player swap on August 14, 1952. The Browns sent Delsing, RHP Ned Garver, and RHP Dave Madison to the Tigers for 1B/OF Don Lenhardt, LHP Dick Littlefield, RHP Marlin Stuart, and OF/1B Vic Wertz. Delsing would spend the next nine seasons with six different teams. He pitched five seasons with the Tigers (1952-56) before spending four years in the minor leagues. He saw action with the Indianapolis Indians (1957), Charleston Senators (1958, 60), Hosuton Buffs (1959), and Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers (1960). He finished his MLB career playing 16 games with the Kansas City Athletics in 1960.
Jim Delsing retired and returned to St. Louis where he settled down and raised his family. He went to work for the Catholic newspaper, the St. Louis Review, where he worked in advertising and sales. He was also involved in several Catholic-based organizations and charities in the St. Louis area. He stayed close to his Browns teammates, and was a active member of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society.
TOP 100 Browns Countdown
This website has the only Top 100 list of famous St Louis Browns players. Please feel free to free to visit the tab about for the complete list. Here is a brief portion of the list that recognizes some of the best players in the history of the St. Louis Browns.
Players #31-35
31) Jack Powell, RHP, 1902-03, 1905-1
TOP 100 Browns Countdown
This website has the only Top 100 list of famous St Louis Browns players. Please feel free to free to visit the tab about for the complete list. Here is a brief portion of the list that recognizes some of the best players in the history of the St. Louis Browns.
Players #31-35
31) Jack Powell, RHP, 1902-03, 1905-1912 - "Red" Powell was one of the Dadball Era pitchers who threw without a wind up. He is the Browns all-time leader in games started (264), innings pitched (2229.2), strikeouts (884), losses (143), shutouts (27) and second to Urban Shocker with 117 wins
32) Johnny Niggeling, RHP, 1940-43, "Red Sox Jinx" for his success over Boston. From 1943-44, he pitched 13 straight games of over seven innings and giving up less than two runs per game. a stat that would not be matched until Tom Seaver.
33) Bruce Campbell, OF, 1932-34, He led the American League in assists by RF in 1932 (15), 1933 (19), and 1934 (14). In 1933 he led the Browns in home runs (16)and RBIs (106).
34) Chet Laabs, OF, 1939-46, "The Poling Pole", American League All-Star (1943), hit two HRs vs. New York to clinch the 1944 pennant. In 1942, during an eight game roll he hit four HRs, two grand slams, and collected 22 RBIs.
35) Nelson Potter, RHP, 1943-48, "Nellie" was known as the 'Ace' of the 1944 American League pennant team. Top 10 AL MVP voting (1944), three-time top 10 WAR for pitchers (1943-45), two-time top 10 in ERA (1944-45), two-times top 10 strikeouts (1944-45)
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BROWNS BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1922 - INF Andy Anderson (1948-49)
1915 - OF Jim Delsing (1950-52)
The impact of the 1942 St. Louis Browns was that this franchise began to learn to win again. They finished with a 82-69 record, which was the first winning season in 14 years. The Browns won 12 more games in 1942 than they had in the 1941 season. This slight taste of success would only last for one season, before falling to a 72-80 record
The impact of the 1942 St. Louis Browns was that this franchise began to learn to win again. They finished with a 82-69 record, which was the first winning season in 14 years. The Browns won 12 more games in 1942 than they had in the 1941 season. This slight taste of success would only last for one season, before falling to a 72-80 record in 1943.
This was the first season in which MLB players would walk away from their careers, and enlist in the military during World War II. Many teams would be effected by the war effort, including the Browns. The Browns would have several players who were drafted into the war effort, RHP Steve Sundra would be the most notable.
The Browns would have the most "4F" players in the American League. "4F" was a classification given to potential military servicemen by the US government, when it was determined that they were not physically able to serve in the war effort. The Browns would have 18 players given this classification during the war years. Many of these players were deligated to war production factories where they worked half the week, and played with the Browns the other half of the week. This would create a huge dilemma for any team.
Manager Luke Sewell would be a master at getting the most from all his players. 1B George McQuinn, SS Vern Stephens, and OF Chet Laabs would blossom under this leadership. The Browns pitching would begin to rise to the top of the American League, where they would challenge the other great staffs.
This team would take a slight step back in 1943, before winning the American League pennant in 1944. All of their success in the championship season began with the 1942 team.