St. Louis Browns LHP Ed Wells was born on June 7, 1900 in Ashland, Ohio. The veteran would spend the last two seasons of his 11-year MLB career pitching for the Browns. Ed Wells would begin his baseball career at Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia. He would play football, basketball, and baseball while studying to graduate with a
St. Louis Browns LHP Ed Wells was born on June 7, 1900 in Ashland, Ohio. The veteran would spend the last two seasons of his 11-year MLB career pitching for the Browns. Ed Wells would begin his baseball career at Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia. He would play football, basketball, and baseball while studying to graduate with a chemistry degree. Wells signed his first major league contract while attending college, forgoing his senior baseball season, and jumping directly to the Detroit Tigers in June of 1923.
Wells would spend the next three seasons as a key member of Ty Cobb's Tigers pitching staff where he averaged 138 innings and 34 games per season. His best season coming in 1925 when he went 12-10 with an ERA of 4.15, and 58 strikeouts.
After a slow start to the 1927 season (1-7 record with a 4.79 ERA), the Tigers placed Wells on waivers on July 19 and was quickly picked up by the Washington Senators. The Senators then sent his contract to the Birmingham Barons on July 23, 1927. Wells would spend most of the 1927-28 seasons with the Birmingham of the Southern League, leading the Barons with a 38-8 record. This caught the attention of the New York Yankees who purchased his contract on August 28, 1928, but would not appear for the Yankees until the following season. Wells would spend the next four seasons in New York, and would tally a 25-12 record in his first two seasons. He would be known as a great locker room teammate, and later spend his entire life telling stories of Lou Gehrig and "Jidge", Babe Ruth's nickname among his teammates.
After the 1932 season, the Yankees had a cash offer from a Pacific Coast team for Wells. The Yankees decided they would first place him on waivers after notifying all American League teams that he would be available. The Browns picked him up off waivers on April 13, 1933. He would respond with one of his best seasons in professional baseball. The lefty would pitch over 200 innings for the first time in his career (203.2), joining Bump Hadley (316.2 IP) and George Blaeholder (255.2 IP) on the Browns staff. Even though his record did not look impressive (7-14), he was a key piece of the Browns pitching staff. In his two seasons with the Browns he would start in 30 of the 69 games he appeared, while completing 12 games. He would record 85 strikeouts with 98 walks, with a 4.38 ERA.
After leaving St. Louis following the 1934 season, he would spend the next three seasons playing the Hollywood Stars (1935), San Diego Padres (1936), Seattle Indians (1936), and New Orleans Pelicans (1937).
After retiring from baseball after the 1937 season, Wells would settle down in Montgomery, Alabama to raise a family and join his community. He became a distributor for the Sinclair Oil Company, joined the Lions Club, and sang in the choir as the elder of the First Presbyterian Church. One of the more colorful items on Ed Wells would be his nickname, "Satchelfoot". After extensive research, the meaning and origin of this nickname was not discovered. Just another mystery in the grand world of baseball.
HEADLINE
"BROWNS CRUSH PHILADELPHIA PITCHING IN SWEEP OF ATHLETICS"
FEATURED GAMES
1942 - The Browns sweep the Athletics in a double header in front of over 15,000 fans in Philadelphia. GAME ONE - The Browns bash 12 hits off of Philadelphia pitching in the first game, leading to a 5-2 St. Louis victory. The Browns outfield were the differenc
HEADLINE
"BROWNS CRUSH PHILADELPHIA PITCHING IN SWEEP OF ATHLETICS"
FEATURED GAMES
1942 - The Browns sweep the Athletics in a double header in front of over 15,000 fans in Philadelphia. GAME ONE - The Browns bash 12 hits off of Philadelphia pitching in the first game, leading to a 5-2 St. Louis victory. The Browns outfield were the difference makers, with all three positions getting on the board. RF Chet Laabs went 2-for-5, including a home run and a double. He would drive in three runs and score one. CF Wally Judnich would go 3-for-5, with a triple, a run scored, and two RBIs. Browns LF would add a hit, stolen base, and an intentional walk. 3B Harlond Clift and 1B George McQuinn would also register a hit in the game. Browns turned three double plays in the game. Browns starter Denny Galehouse would earn the win by scattering ten hits and two runs in 7.1 innings. Al Hollingsworth would get the save. GAME TWO - Browns RHP Bob Muncrief defeated the Athletics on his own, 7-1. The veteran pitcher threw a complete game, masterpiece over the Athletics. After allowing a run in the first inning, Muncrief would only allow five hits the rest of the game. With the bat, Muncrief would drive in two runs by himself with a triple in the top of the second inning. 1B George McQuinn and 2B Don Gutteridge would both have two hits, including double and a run scored. 3B Harlond Clift, CF Wally Judnich, and LF Tony Criscola would all score a run and drive one in. In fact seven of the nine Browns in the lineup would record a hit in the game.
BROWNS' ALL-TIME RECORD ON THIS DAY
22 WINS, 27 LOSSES, ONE TIE
(.448 winning percentage)
WINS BY DECADE
1902-09: 3-4
1910-19: 4-5
1920-29: 4-5
1930-39: 5-4
1940-49: 6-4
1950-53: 0-6
DOUBLE-HEADERS ON THIS DAY
TRANSACTIONS
1911 - Browns send the contract of LHP Bill Bailey to the Montgomery Rebels (Sothern League) for an option to choose any player from the Rebels roster. Bailey had been a member of the Browns pitching staff for five seasons (19-37, 101 GA, 271 Ks). The Browns would select 2B Del Pratt on June 18, who would become one of the best players of the era. Bailey returned to the Browns in 1912.
1917 - Browns signed amateur free agent RHP Vince Molyneaux. The exact date of this signing is not clear, but he would make his MLB debut with the Browns on July 5, against Cleveland. 1921 - RHP Allen Sothoron returns to the Browns after being waived by St. Louis on May 21. Sothoron had already left his mark in Browns history (1011.1 innings 162 games appeared, 65 complete games, 55 wins, 357 strikeouts), but would later be sent to Cleveland in an unknown transaction on June 9.
1942 - The Browns traded their all-star ctahcer Roy Cullenbine and RHP Bill Trotter to the Washington Nationals for RHP Steve Sundra and RF/1B Mike Chartak. Roy Cullenbine clashed with Browns' manager Luke Sewell, even though he was one of the Browns more productive players. The versatile RHP Bill Trotter had appeared in 144 games with St. Louis, finishing 69 games and hurling nine complete games. RHP Steve Sundra would reach a 25-14 record in three seasons (1942-44) with the Browns. His service in US Army in World War II, interrupted his playing career. He would appear in just two games after his return. RF/1B Mike Chartak would become a valuable member of the Browns championship team. In three seasons, he would bat .251 in 216 games, while becoming one of their best in the field.
DEBUTS
THERE WERE NO DEBUTS ON THIS DAY
BROWNS' BIRTHDAYS ON THIS DAY
1900 - LHP Ed Wells (1933-34)
The 1919 St. Louis Browns was comprised of the same core of players that would play into the 1920s. Many of the players on this roster would spend the majority of their MLB career playing for the Browns. This stability would build a strong team that would compete within the top tier of the American League. This team had one of the best hi
The 1919 St. Louis Browns was comprised of the same core of players that would play into the 1920s. Many of the players on this roster would spend the majority of their MLB career playing for the Browns. This stability would build a strong team that would compete within the top tier of the American League. This team had one of the best hitting outfields in the history of the game. The combination of LF Johnny Tobin, CF Baby Doll Jacobson, and RF Ken Williams would each hit over .300 in 1919. This had not been done before, and it hasn't happened since. The Browns mark of three starting outfielders all hitting over .300 would last for five seasons from 1919-23 (the streak was broken when Tobin only hit .299). This roster contains 14 players that are listed in the Top 100 Browns list found on this site.
Browns Starting Lineup: