St. Louis Browns SS Bill Jennings was born on September 28, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri. After serving in the Navy and attending college, Jennings would enjoy a seven-year professional baseball career. Described as tall and lanky, "Slim" Bill Jennings was a four-year star on the basketball team, and the ace pitcher at Southwest High Schoo
St. Louis Browns SS Bill Jennings was born on September 28, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri. After serving in the Navy and attending college, Jennings would enjoy a seven-year professional baseball career. Described as tall and lanky, "Slim" Bill Jennings was a four-year star on the basketball team, and the ace pitcher at Southwest High School. He graduated a semester early to attend the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana.
In 1944, Jennings enlisted in the US Navy and saw action within the Pacific Theater. He was assigned to the USS Gosper which delivered supplies to Pearl Harbor and served as a hospital ship at the Battle of Okinawa. He reached the rank of radio second-class and was honorably discharged in 1946.
Upon returning from war, Jennings was signed by the New York Giants. He was assigned to the Trenton Giants of the Interstate League where he would play his frist two season (1946-47).The Giants would then shuffle him to the Jersey City Giants (1948) and later the Minnesota Millers (1949-50). In 1951, Bill Jennings was optioned to the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. He would appear in 87 games with the Oaks, before being assigned to the San Diego Padres on June 30, 1951.
The Browns shortstop corp in 1951 consisted of Tom Upton and Johnny Bero who managed to hit a combined .206 in the first three months of the season. Looking for more production from the position, the Browns purchased the contract of the St. Louis native and Bill Jennings would make his MLB debut on July 19, 1951. He would go 1-for-4 with a double and two runs driven in against the Washington Nationals. Jennings would hold down the shortstop position for the remainder of the season, and appear in some of the more iconic baseball moments in Browns history. He would be in te Browns lineup for the famous "Eddie Gaeldel" appearance, as well as the "Grandstand Managers" game. In the 64 games, his best game came on August 8 against the New York Yankees. In the second game of the double header, Jennings would drive in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the top of the fourth inning off New York pitcher, Bob Wiesler. His final numbers with the Browns in 1951, included 20 runs, 35 hits, ten doubles, two triples, and just 13 RBIs. Even though he recorded a .953 fielding percentage, he would only be able to reach a .179 batting average. This did not earn him a return to the team in 1952, and his contract was sent ot the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League.
Jennings would split his last two season of baseball between the Maple Leafs (1952-53) and the Charleston Senators (1953).
Following his baseball career, Bill Jennings studied business at Washington University and began working for the Bailey Farm Dairy. He would remain in St. Louis for the rest of his life, where he raised his family and worked for the dairy for 35 years. He would continue to enjoy baseball, attending meetings with the Bill Broeg SABR meetings and St. Louis Browns Historical Society luncheons. Bill Jennings' career may not have been one of headlines and league milestones, but he is another example of a local player who enjoyed every moment he had on the field. It is important that these players are always remembered for their love of the game.
HEADLINES
"DIZZY DEAN COMPLETES FOUR SCORELESS INNINGS - PROVING HIS ACTIONS ARE SPEECHLESS"
FEATURED GAME
1947 - In one of the best single game stories to come out of Browns history, Dizzy Dean would pitch four innings of the final game in 1947. After his playing career appeared to be over, Dean became the beloved color commentator for Bro
HEADLINES
"DIZZY DEAN COMPLETES FOUR SCORELESS INNINGS - PROVING HIS ACTIONS ARE SPEECHLESS"
FEATURED GAME
1947 - In one of the best single game stories to come out of Browns history, Dizzy Dean would pitch four innings of the final game in 1947. After his playing career appeared to be over, Dean became the beloved color commentator for Browns broadcasts with Johnny O'Hara.
In 1947, Dizzy did not hold back his feelings about the Brown's pitching staff and even their hitters. He claimed that he was still better than any of the pitchers on the Browns roster. To prove his point, the Browns signed Dean to a one-day contract, where he would pitch the final game of the season vs the Chicago White Sox.
At the age of 37, and being out of MLB for six years, Dean was amazing. He pitched four scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and only one walk. He even managed to get a single at his only at bat. The next batter, 3B Bob Dillenger, put the ball in play and forced Dean to slide awkwardly into second base. He hobbled back to the dugout, convinced manager Muddy Ruel to give him one more inning, and finished the night after the fourth inning.
Legend states that Dean's wife marched down to the dugout and screamed at Ruel, yelling "Get that old guy outta there" (Whether or not this happened, it make for a better story).
RHP Glen Moulder replaced Dean in the game, and unfortunately gave up five runs in the top of the ninth inning, in a 5-2 Browns loss. This would be closing entry into Dizzy Dean's playing career, and like the pitcher himself it is a legendary story.
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on SEPTEMBER 28
20 Wins, 16 Losses (.555)
1902-09: 6-4
1910-19: 7-2
1920-29: 2-2
1930-39: 2-2
1940-49: 2-3
1950-53: 1-3
DOUBLEADERS
Sweeps: 4
Splits: 2
Swept: 1
TRANSACTIONS
1923 - The Chicago White Sox selected RHP Slim Embry off waiver from the Browns. Embry signed an amateur free agent contract in March of 1923, but there is no record of him playing in any game that year in the Browns organization. Embry would appear in one game for Chicago in 1923, giving up six runs on seven hits and two walks. This would be his only MLB game, and would finish his career with a 10.13 ERA
DEBUTS
1937 - Catcher Sam Harshany would pinch hit for RHP Bill Trotter in the bottom of the seventh inning, in the Browns 6-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers. He would earn a walk in his only plate appearance.
1938 - Sig Gryska would start at shortstop and go 1-for-4 with single in the ninth inning in the Browns blowout loss to the Detroit Tigers, 12-0. Gyska would play out the rest of the season at shortstop for the Browns, batting a robust .476.
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS ON SEPTEMBER 28
1889 - OF Pete Compton (1911-13)
1917 - RHP Glen Moulder (1947)
1925 - SS Bill Jennings (1951)
The 1926 St. Louis Browns finished the seaosn with a 62-92 record, finishing seventh in the American League. They would finish 29 games behind the New York Yankees, 17 games behind the sixth place Detroit Tigers, and luckily 15.5 games ahead of the eighth place Boston Red Sox. The Browns would fail to have a winning record against any of
The 1926 St. Louis Browns finished the seaosn with a 62-92 record, finishing seventh in the American League. They would finish 29 games behind the New York Yankees, 17 games behind the sixth place Detroit Tigers, and luckily 15.5 games ahead of the eighth place Boston Red Sox. The Browns would fail to have a winning record against any of their American league foes. The season started off with a rough 14-30 record through the end of May. They would have a winning record at Sprtsman's Park, which always keeps the home crowd happy.
SEASON BREAKDOWN