Notice of first A.A. Browns Game to be Played

Tue, May 2, 1882 – Page 8 · St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) · Newspapers.com

Tom Jordan Live in St. Louis! And a Rogers Hornsby story.

98-y.o. Browns catcher Tom Jordan, the second-oldest living major league baseball player.  With my son and his friend. In the Rogers Hornsby Room at Busch Stadium, July 13.

Rogers Hornsby is significant because of a story Tom told me. It was spring training with the White Sox in 1946. The coaches were Mule Hass and Rogers Hornsby. Tom’s roommate was Dario Lodigiani. Dario told Tom that he overheard the two coaches talking. Hass told Hornsby, “I think I’m going to work with Jordan on his stance today. Hornsby told Hass, “There’s nothing wrong with that boy’s stance. Leave it alone!”.

[Jordan had hit .350 his previous season splitting time between the White Sox, Milwaukee and Kansas City].

The greatest pitcher in 'Orioles' history ... was a Brownie!

Jack Ogden

As a Brownie....

...and as an Oriole.

We all know the story by now.

In 1954, having moved the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore, the new owners ditched, effectively, their Browns history, saying that the team and the city already have a proud history from the  International (minor) League, the National League of the 1890s, and the American Association of the 1880s all named “Baltimore Orioles” (the ill-fated American League team that played two yeas and became the New York Highlanders… not so much ... that's truly the "Team Baseball Forgot").

The Oriole team yearbooks and media guides from the 1950s reflect this. But let's have fun with that, shall we fam?  This means that the most successful Orioles pitcher in history is not HofF Jim Palmer, but Jack Ogden.  Who was also a Brown!

Palmer W-L% .638

Ogden  W-L% .700

Ogden's other accolades include:

1. Pitcher with the most victories in International League history
2. The Baltimore Orioles won six of its seven consecutive International League pennants during Ogden’s tenure. 
3. Four of those Orioles teams were ranked among the minor leagues’ 19 best ever in the twentieth century.
4. Ogden won more than 20-games six times for the Orioles, with seasons of 31, 28, and 27 victories. (Season totals never approached by Palmer, who averaged 14-wins per year).
5. If he were included in the Orioles stats, he would be #2 in most innings pitched, between Palmer and Dave McNally.

You see why he is arguably "the greatest 'Oriole' pitcher ever" and certainly the most-successful in terms of winning percentage.  And the Orioles of the IL were a minor league club in rank only. Their roster regularly included 85% players who had - or were about to have - major league experience.

Oh .. and Ogden was 15-16 for one of the better Browns teams in history: the 1928 team that finished in third-place and was 10 games over .500.  The next year he fell off to 4-8.  In 1930 he was claimed off waivers by the Reds.

Ogden stayed in pro baseball until the 1970s with great success wearing several hats.  His life story is fascinating and tragic.  A recommended good read at SABR.

Nevers Say Never

Ernie Nevers, who played his entire career with the St. Louis Browns, and just caught the tail end of the George Sisler-Ken Williams-Baby Doll Jacobson era, is the only major league baseball player to have a football team named after him. Read all about it in today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune. The team was called “Ernie Nevers’ Eskimos”.  

So when you see Vikings fans swooning over Case Keenum or Sam Bradford, realize that Minnesotans four generations ago were rooting for Ernest Alonzo Nevers, the pride of Willow River, MN.

Nevers was also later a Cardinal.  A St. Louis Cardinal?  No not that kind of Cardinal.  A Chicago Cardinal.  Confused yet??

Nevers was also signed right out of Stanford by manager George Sisler.  The Sporting News of Thursday, January 7, 1926 speculates it was a one elite college man to another thing” which enabled Sisler to outbid the New Giants who had already announced in late 1925 that they had Nevers all-but sewn up.

Happy Birthday J.W. Porter! The 'baby Brownie'.

This day in St. Louis Browns' history - January 17: a very special "Happy Birthday" to one of baseball's greatest characters and human beings - JW Porter. All fans who attended the Browns' dinners and luncheons over the years remember JW's remarkable wit and story telling. JW was a Brownie in 1952 before losing two prime years to military service before coming back and playing for Detroit, Cleveland, Washington, and the St. Louis Cardinals.

How Browns' GM Approached Winter Meetings: 'Trade Whole Team'

But trade Buck Newsom they did, after "Bobo" got off to an 0-6 start in 1935.  Jack Knott fared better, leading the league in saves, and stayed with the team the whole year. The Browns dropped from 6th to 7th place in the A.L.

By invitation of the St. Louis Cardinals, The St. Louis Browns Fan Club will be presenting a reminiscence of the team and their authored book:  The St. Louis Browns - The Story Of A Beloved Team all three days at this year's Winter Warm Up:  January 13 - 14 & 15.  If you are going to the Winter Warm Up, put this on your schedule and attend.  We will also have books available for sale.  Times of the Browns session will be posted later this week.  See you at the Winter Warm Up.