Dave Brain
Encyclopedia
David Leonard "Dave" Brain (January 24, 1879 – May 25, 1959) was an infielder
/outfielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Chicago White Sox
(1901), St. Louis Cardinals
(1903–1905), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1905), Boston Beaneaters & Doves
(1906–1907), Cincinnati Reds
(1908) and New York Giants
(1908). Brain batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Hereford, England.
The English-born Brain was an unreliable fielder who showed some power with his bat and good speed on the basepaths. In 1903 for the St. Louis Cardinals he stole
21 bases and hit 15 triples
, including two three-triple games to become the only player in National League
history to perform the feat twice in a season. But his accomplishments were overshadowed by his 67 errors
– 41 at shortstop
and 22 at third base
.
In 1904 Brain played around the infield, hitting 24 doubles
with 12 triples and 18 stolen bases, and also posted a career-high with 72 runs batted in. In 1905 he divided his playing time between St. Louis and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and played the next two seasons with the Boston teams of the National League. Brain led the league batters with 10 home runs in 1907, but he will never hit another home run. He played his last major league season in 1908, appearing in 27 games with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants.
In a seven-season career, Brain was a .252 hitter with 27 home runs and 303 RBI in 679 games.
Brain died in Los Angeles, California
, at the age of 80.
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
/outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The 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...
(1901), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1903–1905), Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1905), Boston Beaneaters & Doves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1906–1907), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1908) and New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1908). Brain batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Hereford, England.
The English-born Brain was an unreliable fielder who showed some power with his bat and good speed on the basepaths. In 1903 for the St. Louis Cardinals he stole
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
21 bases and hit 15 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, including two three-triple games to become the only player in National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
history to perform the feat twice in a season. But his accomplishments were overshadowed by his 67 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
– 41 at shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and 22 at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
.
In 1904 Brain played around the infield, hitting 24 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
with 12 triples and 18 stolen bases, and also posted a career-high with 72 runs batted in. In 1905 he divided his playing time between St. Louis and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and played the next two seasons with the Boston teams of the National League. Brain led the league batters with 10 home runs in 1907, but he will never hit another home run. He played his last major league season in 1908, appearing in 27 games with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants.
In a seven-season career, Brain was a .252 hitter with 27 home runs and 303 RBI in 679 games.
Brain died in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, at the age of 80.