If The Browns had Stayed in STL, Herzog may Have Been a Brownie

The Hall of Fame induction weekend (7/23/10) is the busiest time of year, and hotel rooms and restaurant tables are booked well in advance. The Hall of Fame's exhibits honoring this year's inductees include a cap from Herzog's 1,000th managerial win, a uniform he wore when he managed the Cardinals, an Orioles uniform that he wore as a player and the scouting card he created on fellow inductee Andre Dawson when he played for Montreal.

"St. Louis baseball has had such a long and rich history that the number of artifacts we have from the teams who play(ed) there are staggering," said Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson.

Among his favorites are Bob Gibson's glove from 1968, 'since his dominance led to the change in the height of the mound"; the glove of one-armed Pete Gray of the St. Louis Browns, 'showing baseball is truly an equal-opportunity employer"; Cool Papa Bell's sunglasses and St. Louis Stars cap, "as they take us straight back to the Negro leagues and speak to James' coolness"; and Stan Musial's locker, 'since Stan is The Man."

Some of the Strangest Characters in Baseball in 1944-45

Some of the strangest characters in baseball history emerged during the war. In 1944, the Cincinnati Reds sent 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall to the mound to pitch. He was the youngest player in Major League history and played like it as well. Not lasting even an inning, he gave up five earned runs and faced only nine batters.

Eight years later, he would re-emerge as a very good pitcher and play until 1966.

Probably the most storied case of a has-been or never-should-have-been making it to the majors was that of Pete Gray. Pete was right-handed until he lost his right arm, at age 6, when he slipped while riding on a farmer’s wagon and his right arm was caught in the spokes. The arm had to be amputated above the elbow.

Gray played in the Majors for only one season with the St. Louis Browns, but racked up 51 hits in 234 at-bats. He hit two triples and carried a batting average of .218. Interestingly, he only struck out 11 times all season. In 61 games in the field, he only allowed seven errors.

PETE GRAY BELONGS ON OVERSEAS SQUAD

From the Sporting News, 9/9/43, sent in by Dave McGregor

Although the projected overseas baseball tour presumably is designed for major leaguers only, two former stars and one active minor leaguer have been nominated for the trip. Bill Corum, ace sports columnist of the NY Journal-American, proposes that Babe Ruth and Dizzy Dean, former Big Time luminaries, and Pete Gray, one-armed outfielder of the Memphis Southern Assn. club, be taken along.

There is no doubt that the boys overseas would like to see the fabulous Ruth and the colorful Dean. They are not so well acquainted with Pete Gray, and indeed, it is likely that many of them may never have heard of him, for this is only his second season in Organized Ball, both with minor league teams. However,no player on the squad would attract more attention than the amazing Memphis outfielder, the greatest one-armed player of all time.

All season, Gray has been banging the ball around .300 for Memphis, hauling down flies with uncanny skill, pegging out baserunners and stealing bases with the league's best. On August 29, when he was given a "day" at Memphis, he lashed out five singles in seven trips to the plate, made a unassisted double play, slid home with a run, stole a base and handled seven chances flawlessly. It was a performance of the type that has made the Chicks, with Gray as a star attraction, the best-drawing road club of the loop.

Gray lost his right arm in accident when only 6 years old. That handicap would have seen insurmountable to most youngsters who aspired to a diamond career, but not Pete.

THE SPORTING NEWS heartily seconds the nomination of Pete Gray for a place on the touring major league squad. In the battle zones, where the fighting men have seen so many of their comrades suffer crippling wounds, what greater inspiration could be given than the sight of the Chickasha Eagle, who is triumphing over physical handicaps with skill and courage?

This Day in Browns Baseball - April

Today in Browns Baseball

April 14

1910 - Chicago's Frank Smith pitched a one-hitter in the season opener to give the White Sox a win over the St. Louis Browns.

1917 - Ed Cicotte of the Chicago White Sox pitched an 11-0 no-hitter over the St. Louis Browns. George Sisler had four errors in the game.


April 18

1945 - In his major league debut, one-armed outfielder Pete Gray got one hit in four at-bats in the St. Louis Browns' 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Champions often overcome handicaps, including having a bad temper

Many people have come from the rolls of the handicapped and acclaimed great status. In the sports world especially, many great champions were physically challenged.

Tommy Milton, whose name you probably won't remember, was the first race car driver to win the Indianapolis Grind twice. It was the most grueling 500-mile race in the world, and Milton accomplished his victories despite the fact that he only had one eye.

I remember this one very well. In 1945, a fellow named Gray wanted to play major league baseball, so he played his way through a couple of minor leagues and the St. Louis Browns signed him to a big league contract.

He played 77 games and batted .218 as the Browns leadoff hitter.

His full name was Pete Gray and he had only one arm, but he swung the bat very well, considering his handicap.

Once there was a boy named Johnny who was doomed to a life of illness. He was frail and weak, and the doctors suggested he take swimming exercises.

Until age 12, Johnny had never been in water deeper than that in the bathtub, but he finally learned to swim.

Johnny swam some in Lake Michigan and decided he liked it. The more he swam, the stronger he got, and he finally became the world's most famous swimmer.

His full name was Johnny Weissmuller, who was a champion swimmer and became Tarzan in the movies.

This has nothing to do with lameness, unless it was lameness of the brain. Babe Ruth was pitching against the Washington Senators in 1917 when umpire Brick Owens called his first three pitches balls. Ruth stormed off the mound and gave Owens a piece of his mind and told the umpire if he called the next pitch a ball, he would punch him on the nose.

Sure enough, the ball missed the plate, the batter walked, and Ruth punched Owens in the face.

He was promptly thrown out of the game and Ernie Shore came on in relief. The runner on first was caught stealing, and Shore retired the next 26 men, pitching a perfect game.

This one was not a cripple, but he once made a crack that created consternation in church. A student at Notre Dame, Knute Rockne was playing baseball on a warm day while Mass was being celebrated in a nearby chapel.

With windows open, the congregants were still rather warm when the priest asked, “How are you going to enter the kingdom of heaven?” and from outside, Rockne's voice boomed clearly through the open windows, “Slide, damn it, slide!”

Vernon (Lefty) Gomez, a great Yankee pitcher, was a clown. After his playing career he came to Asheville many times to scout ball players. He told funny stories. Here's one:

Tony Lazzeri, a Yankee infielder, was in the midst of a great fielding streak, and the New York newspapers were filled with his exploits. When a batter hit a ball back to Gomez, instead of throwing to first for the out, he threw to Lazerri.

After the game, Lazerri asked Gomez why he threw the ball to him, and Gomez answered, “I didn't know what to do with it, Tony, and I've been reading all week that you're the smartest fielder in the world, so I thought I'd let you decide where to throw it.”