St. Louis Browns 3B Leo Thomas was born on July 26, 1923 in Turlock, California. Thomas would have an amazing 13-season career that would expand through 17 teams within five Major League organizations. Four times in his career he would play for two teams in a given season, and twice he would play for three teams in a single season. By the
St. Louis Browns 3B Leo Thomas was born on July 26, 1923 in Turlock, California. Thomas would have an amazing 13-season career that would expand through 17 teams within five Major League organizations. Four times in his career he would play for two teams in a given season, and twice he would play for three teams in a single season. By the end of his career, he record 1773 hits in 7123 plate appearances across 1823 games in both the minor and major leagues.
Leo "Tommy" Thomas would be a star prospect at Alameda High School, when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed the 18-year old amateur free agent in 1942. After playing for the Kingsport Dodgers, Olean Oilers, and Santa Barbara Saints in 1942, Thomas would enlist in the US Navy during World War II. He would serve three years (1943-45), before returning to baseball in 1946.
Over the next six seasons, Thomas would play within the Dodgers, Yankees, and Indians organizations. The Browns would acquire Thomas from the Cleveland Indians in April 26, 1950.
Thomas made his MLB debut on April 29, 1950, against the Cleveland Indians. He would draw a walk in his first plate appearance, before hitting an RBI-single in the sixth inning. He would go on to appear in 35 games in a two-month period with St. Louis, but was only able to produce a .198 batting average.
Thomas would be included in a seven-player deal between the Browns and Yankees on June 15, 1950. The Browns sent Thomas along with RHP Tom Ferrick and LHP Joe Ostrowski to the Yankees for OF Jim Delsing, RHP Don Johnson, RHP Duane Pillette, INF Snuffy Stirnweiss and $50,000.Within a week of this deal, he would be sent to play with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. He would make a return to St. Louis on October 11, 1951, when he was traded from Portland back to the Browns for UTIL Jack MaGuire, RHP Fred Sanford, and an undisclosed amount of cash.
In his second stint with the Browns, Thomas would see action in 41 games, where he batted .234. He would be another midseason trade 'chip' as the Browns sent him and OF Tom Wright to the Chicago White Sox for SS Wally Miranda and OF Al Zarilla. These are just four of the eight transactions Leo Thomas experienced in his career. His final statistics with the Browns included 76 total games, 31 runs, 53 hits, 11 doubles, a triple, a home run, and a .216 batting average.
Leo Thomas would retire from baseball after the 1958 season. He became a beloved bartender at the San Francisco landmark restaurant, Spangler's Fish Grotto. He was often just as proud of his bartending days as he was his days on the diamond.
HEADLINES
"BROWNS SHUT DOWN WILLIAMS AS BROWNS SWEEP BOSOX"
FEATURED GAME
1942 - The Browns take both ends of a double header against Ted Williams and the Boston Red Sox. GAME 1 - The Browns would score seven runs in the first two innings, as RHP Denny Galehouse keeps the Boston bats silent. In the first inning, the Browns would send nine b
HEADLINES
"BROWNS SHUT DOWN WILLIAMS AS BROWNS SWEEP BOSOX"
FEATURED GAME
1942 - The Browns take both ends of a double header against Ted Williams and the Boston Red Sox. GAME 1 - The Browns would score seven runs in the first two innings, as RHP Denny Galehouse keeps the Boston bats silent. In the first inning, the Browns would send nine batters to the plate, scoring four runs, highlighted by a double from cathcer Rick Ferrell that scored SS Vern Stephens and LF Chet Laabs. The Browns would add three more runs in the second inning on RBI singles by CF Wally Judnich and RF Mike Chartak. Chartak would tally three runs batted in for the game, and Ferrell would drive in two runs. Galehouse would scatter four runs and 3 walks in the complete game victory, as the Red Sox would only score two runs. GAME 2 - The night cap of the double header saw a classic pitchers duel between the Browns LHP Al Hollingsworth and RHP Steve Sundra against Boston's R%HP Charlie Wagner. Both lineups were able to record eight hits off the opposing pitcher. The Browns star of the game was 1B George McQuinn who was responsible for driving in three of the Browns four runs. In the bottom of the first inning, he would double to left field and drive in 3B Harlond Clift. The third inning would see McQuinn hit a solo home run to deep right field. Vern Stephens would join the scoring with an RBI single that drove in Clift. With the game tied at three, in the bottom of the ninth inning, George McQuinn would hit his second double of the game. The game winning double would score Clift from second base. Harlond Clift would score the of the four runs, while McQuinn's homer accounted for the fourth run. From the Boston side, the legendary Ted Williams would go 4-for-6 in the double header, including a home run in each game.
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on July 26
21 Wins, 28 Losses (.428)
1902-09: 3-1
1910-19: 5-8
1920-29: 1-7
1930-39: 5-6
1940-49: 3-4
1950-53: 3-2
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 2
Splits: 5
Swept: 4
TRANSACTIONS
1933 - Rogers Hornsby is hired by owner Phil Ball to be the Browns Player-Manager. He would take over for Allen Sothoron who was 2 -6 as the Browns interin manager, after Bill Killefer was fired after a 55-96-2 start to the season. Hornsby would remain the browns manager until 1937
DEBUTS
There were no debuts on this day
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS
1914 - RHP Ellis Kinder (1946-47)
1892 - RHP Sad Sam Jones (1927)
1923 - 3B Leo Thomas (1950, 52)
1926 - RHP Bobby Herrera (1951)
The 1917 St. Louis Browns were a team made up of young stars looking to make their mark, and veteran players looking at the end of their careers. Many of the players who would lead the team into the 1920s, were just starting out in 1917. 1B George Sisler, C Hank Severeid, and CF Baby Doll Jacobson were just starting their careers. The pit
The 1917 St. Louis Browns were a team made up of young stars looking to make their mark, and veteran players looking at the end of their careers. Many of the players who would lead the team into the 1920s, were just starting out in 1917. 1B George Sisler, C Hank Severeid, and CF Baby Doll Jacobson were just starting their careers. The pitching staff that was fairly under performing all season, did have no-hitters in back-to-back games. The Browns would have several winning seasons over the next few years with the same players that are on this team.
Season Lineup