Willard Brown
Encyclopedia
Willard Jessie Brown nicknamed "Home Run" Brown, was an American outfielder
in the Negro Leagues
, Major League Baseball
, and inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame.
, he began his professional baseball career in with the Monroe Monarchs
, a minor Negro League team. In , he signed with the Kansas City Monarchs
, for which he played continuously until seeing action in World War II
in 1944-45. During his pre-war baseball years, he established himself as having the most raw power in Negro League history, and possibly in the history of baseball. He hit home run
s more often than the better known Josh Gibson
, causing Gibson to give Brown his nickname. He also hit for a batting average
of .374 in and regularly hitting over .350. Brown was one of the fastest players in baseball in the late 1930s and 1940s,as well as a solid outfielder. From 1937 to 1946 Brown helped lead the Monarchs to six pennants in ten seasons.
In the 1942 season the Monarchs met the Negro National League champion Homestead Grays in the first World Series between the Negro American League and the Negro National League. With Brown hitting .412 and a home run, the Monarchs won four straight games.
. On July 20, Brown and Henry Thompson played against the Boston Red Sox. It was the first time that two black players appear in a Major League game together. Throughout the season, he struggled because of the racism
inherent in his new surroundings and his frustration with the lack of talent of his new teammates.
After batting .179 in 21 games, he left the majors, but not before becoming the first black player to hit a home run in the American League
. That winter, he went to Puerto Rico
and had one of his greatest seasons ever, batting .432 with 27 home runs and 86 RBI
in just 60 games, winning the Triple Crown
and earning the nickname Ese Hombre or "That Man". Brown won the Puerto Rican Winter League Triple Crown in the 1949-1950 season. He also hit for the cycle once in his career.
from through .
Although his career home run total is not known, there is no doubt that he was among the Negro League career leaders in homers, despite a relatively brief career.
.
, and died there at age 81.
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 the Negro Leagues
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning 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...
, and inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame.
Negro league
Born in Shreveport, LouisianaShreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, he began his professional baseball career in with the Monroe Monarchs
Monroe Monarchs
The Monroe Monarchs were a professional baseball team based in Monroe, Louisiana, which played in the Negro Leagues from the late 1920s to 1935. The team was created by Fred Stovall, a Texan oil drilling millionaire, who later financed the Negro Southern League. In the 1930s, a time of acute...
, a minor Negro League team. In , he signed with the Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
, for which he played continuously until seeing action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1944-45. During his pre-war baseball years, he established himself as having the most raw power in Negro League history, and possibly in the history of baseball. He hit home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s more often than the better known Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Joshua Gibson was an American catcher in baseball's Negro leagues. He played for the Homestead Grays from 1930 to 1931, moved to the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932 to 1936, and returned to the Grays from 1937 to 1939 and 1942 to 1946...
, causing Gibson to give Brown his nickname. He also hit for a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .374 in and regularly hitting over .350. Brown was one of the fastest players in baseball in the late 1930s and 1940s,as well as a solid outfielder. From 1937 to 1946 Brown helped lead the Monarchs to six pennants in ten seasons.
In the 1942 season the Monarchs met the Negro National League champion Homestead Grays in the first World Series between the Negro American League and the Negro National League. With Brown hitting .412 and a home run, the Monarchs won four straight games.
Major league
He played briefly in the major leagues, in , having signed with the floundering St. Louis BrownsBaltimore 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...
. On July 20, Brown and Henry Thompson played against the Boston Red Sox. It was the first time that two black players appear in a Major League game together. Throughout the season, he struggled because of the racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
inherent in his new surroundings and his frustration with the lack of talent of his new teammates.
After batting .179 in 21 games, he left the majors, but not before becoming the first black player to hit a home run 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...
. That winter, he went to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and had one of his greatest seasons ever, batting .432 with 27 home runs and 86 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in just 60 games, winning the Triple Crown
Triple crown (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a player earns the Triple Crown when he leads a league in three specific statistical categories. For batters, a player must lead the league in home runs, run batted in , and batting average; pitchers must lead the league in wins, strikeouts, and earned run average...
and earning the nickname Ese Hombre or "That Man". Brown won the Puerto Rican Winter League Triple Crown in the 1949-1950 season. He also hit for the cycle once in his career.
Return to the Monarchs
Returning to the Monarchs for the 1948 season and stayed with the team until his retirement from top-level baseball in . Subsequently, he was a successful minor league player in the Texas LeagueTexas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
from through .
Although his career home run total is not known, there is no doubt that he was among the Negro League career leaders in homers, despite a relatively brief career.
Baseball Hall of Fame
Brown was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in February 2006Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2006
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2006 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001, augmented by a special election; the result was the largest class of inductees in the Hall's history, including the first woman elected. The Baseball Writers Association of America held an election to...
.
Retirement and death
After he retired from baseball, he lived in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, and died there at age 81.