1952 St. Louis Browns season
Encyclopedia
The St. Louis Browns
season was a season in American baseball
. It involved the Browns finishing 7th in the American League
with a record of 64 wins and 90 losses.
, Rogers Hornsby
, an alleged former member of the Ku Klux Klan
, took over as manager of the Browns. Despite past accusations of racism, Hornsby was less hesitant to use pitcher Satchel Paige
than Indians manager Lou Boudreau
had been four years before
. Paige was so effective that when Hornsby was fired by Browns owner Bill Veeck
, his successor Marty Marion
seemed not to want to risk going more than three games without using Paige in some form. By July 4, with Paige having worked in 25 games, Casey Stengel
named him to the American League All-Star
team, making him the first black pitcher on an AL All-Star team. The All-Star game was cut short after five innings due to rain and Paige never got in. Stengel resolved to name him to the team the following year. Paige finished the year 12-10 with a 3.07 ERA for a team that lost ninety games.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
season was a season in American baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. It involved the Browns finishing 7th in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with a record of 64 wins and 90 losses.
Offseason
- November 27, 1951: Al WidmarAl WidmarAlbert Joseph Widmar was an American starting pitcher and a pitching coach in Major League Baseball. Between 1945 and 1952, Widmar played for the Boston Red Sox , St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
, Sherm LollarSherm LollarJohn Sherman Lollar was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , St. Louis Browns , and the Chicago White Sox...
, and Tom UptonTom UptonThomas Herbert "Muscles" Upton is a former right-handed Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the St. Louis Browns from 1950 to 1951, and for the Washington Senators in 1952. He began his professional career in 1944, after being signed by the New York Yankees...
were traded by the Browns to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Joe DeMaestriJoe DeMaestriJoseph Paul DeMaestri , nicknamed "Froggy," is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago White Sox , St. Louis Browns , Philadelphia & Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees...
, Gordon GoldsberryGordon GoldsberryGordon Frederick Goldsberry was an American professional baseball player, scout and front-office executive. As a player, he was a first baseman who appeared in 217 Major League Baseball games for the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Browns between and...
, Dick LittlefieldDick LittlefieldRichard Bernard "Dick" Littlefield was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for nine teams between 1950 and 1958.Born in Detroit, Michigan, he died there at age 71....
, Gus NiarhosGus NiarhosConstantine Gregory "Gus" Niarhos was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the New York Yankees , Chicago White Sox , Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies...
, and Jim RiveraJim RiveraManuel Joseph "Jim" Rivera is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the St. Louis Browns , Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Athletics...
.
Regular season
In 19521952 in sports
1952 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Detroit Lions win 17–7 over the Cleveland BrownsGeorgia Tech wins national college football championship-England:...
, Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
, an alleged former member of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, took over as manager of the Browns. Despite past accusations of racism, Hornsby was less hesitant to use pitcher Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige
Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige was an American baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball made him a legend in his own lifetime...
than Indians manager Lou Boudreau
Lou Boudreau
Louis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
had been four years before
1948 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team won a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox and would then go onto win their second World Series in franchise history, its first in 28 years.-Off-season:...
. Paige was so effective that when Hornsby was fired by Browns owner Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
, his successor Marty Marion
Marty Marion
Martin Whiteford Marion was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball from to . Marion played with the St. Louis Cardinals for the majority of his career before ending with the St. Louis Browns as a player-manager...
seemed not to want to risk going more than three games without using Paige in some form. By July 4, with Paige having worked in 25 games, Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
named him to the American League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team, making him the first black pitcher on an AL All-Star team. The All-Star game was cut short after five innings due to rain and Paige never got in. Stengel resolved to name him to the team the following year. Paige finished the year 12-10 with a 3.07 ERA for a team that lost ninety games.
Notable transactions
- July 28, 1952: Darrell JohnsonDarrell JohnsonDarrell Dean Johnson was an American Major League Baseball catcher, coach, manager and scout.-Playing career:...
and Jim RiveraJim RiveraManuel Joseph "Jim" Rivera is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the St. Louis Browns , Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Athletics...
were traded by the Browns to the Chicago White SoxChicago White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Jay PorterJay PorterJ. W. "Jay" Porter is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the St. Louis Browns , Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , Washington Senators , and St. Louis Cardinals . Porter played in 229 major league games, 91 as a catcher, 62 as an outfielder, 16 as a first baseman, and 3 at...
and Ray ColemanRay Coleman (baseball)Raymond Leroy Coleman was a professional baseball outfielder. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball, between 1947 and 1952, for the St. Louis Browns , Philadelphia Athletics, and Chicago White Sox.Signed by the Browns as an amateur free agent in 1940, Coleman made his major league debut...
. - August 14, 1952: Jim DelsingJim DelsingJames Henry Delsing was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who is most remembered for having been the pinch runner for -tall Eddie Gaedel on August 19,...
, Ned GarverNed GarverNed Franklin Garver was an American League pitcher playing from 1948 to 1961 winning 129 games in his major league career. Most of his career was spent playing for perennial second-division teams like the St. Louis Browns and Kansas City Athletics.In 1951, Garver fashioned an outstanding season....
, Bud Black and Dave MadisonDave MadisonDavid Pledger Madison was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played from , and with the New York Yankees, St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers. He batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Brooksville, Mississippi and died in Macon, Mississippi.Madison was an alumnus of Louisiana State...
were traded by the Browns to the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for Dick LittlefieldDick LittlefieldRichard Bernard "Dick" Littlefield was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for nine teams between 1950 and 1958.Born in Detroit, Michigan, he died there at age 71....
, Marlin StuartMarlin StuartMarlin Henry Stuart was an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was born in Paragould, Arkansas....
, Don LenhardtDon LenhardtDonald Eugene Lenhardt is a retired outfielder, first baseman, third baseman, scout and coach in American Major League Baseball. In his playing days, he stood , weighed , and threw and batted right-handed...
and Vic WertzVic WertzVictor Woodrow Wertz was a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He had a seventeen year career from 1947 to 1963. He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1942 and played for the Tigers, St...
.
Roster
| 1952 St. Louis Browns | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS | 81 | 186 | 42 | .226 | 1 | 18 | |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 227 | 52 | .229 | 3 | 17 | |
| 29 | 66 | 16 | .242 | 1 | 6 | |
| 20 | 46 | 9 | .196 | 0 | 1 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 176 | 9 | 14 | 4.68 | 91 | |
| 29 | 170 | 12 | 10 | 4.13 | 70 | |
| 7 | 46.1 | 2 | 3 | 2.72 | 34 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 150.2 | 7 | 8 | 4.30 | 45 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|