Willard Brown Positions: Outfielder and ShortstopBats: Right • Throws: Right5-11, 200lb (180cm, 90kg)Born: June 26, 1915 in Shreveport, LA usDied: August 4, 1996 in Houston, TXBuried: Houston National Cemetery, Houston, TXDebut: 1937 (8,069th in major league history)AL/NL Debut: July 19, 1947vs. BOS 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SBLast Game: August 17, 1947vs. CLE 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SBHall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2006. (Voted by Negro…
On July 30, 2006, the largest Induction Class in Hall of Fame history is honored in Cooperstown. Reliever Bruce Sutter is the 4th relief pitcher inducted along with 17 elected by a special commission on pre-Negro leagues and Negro leagues baseball. The 17 are Ray Brown, Willard Brown, Andy Cooper, Frank Grant, Pete Hill, Biz…
Relief pitcher Bruce Sutter is elected to the Hall of Fame. With 75% of the votes cast by BBWAA members needed for election. Sutter receives 76.9%, slugger Jim Rice is second with 64.8%, followed by reliever Goose Gossage at 64.6%. Sutter, who is credited with perfecting the split-fingered fastball, which is a pitch many major leaguers use in some form today, joins Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers and Dennis Eckersley as the only relief pitchers in Cooperstown. In a special election, seventeen Negro Leagues figures are also elected: Ray Brown, Willard Brown, Andy Cooper, Frank Grant, Pete Hill, Biz Mackey, Effa Manley, Jose Mendez, Alex Pompez, Cum Posey, Louis Santop, Mule Suttles, Ben Taylor, Cristóbal Torriente, Sol White, J.L. Wilkinson, and Jud Wilson. Manley is the first woman ever elected to the Hall, and the 18 inductees are the largest class in the Hall’s history.
At Sportsman’s Park, pinch-hitter Willard Brown of the Browns becomes the first black player to hit a home run in the American League. The historic homer, an inside-the-parker off future Hall of Fame hurler Hal Newhouser, helps the Browns beat the Tigers, 6-5.
On July 20, 1947, two black players appear in a major league lineup for the first time. Second baseman Hank Thompson and right fielder Willard “Home Run” Brown play for the St. Louis Browns in a doubleheader. The Browns win both games, 4-3 and 7-6, over the Boston Red Sox. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@
Less than two weeks after Larry Doby’s debut with the Indians, Hank Thompson and Willard Brown become the second and third black players in the American League and first for the Browns. The former Kansas City Monarchs standouts will play in less than 30 games for St. Louis because their presence does not significantly raise attendance.
On June 26, 1915, one of the greatest hitters in the history of the Negro leagues is born. Willard Brown is born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Brown, given the nickname “Home Run” by Josh Gibson, won two triple crowns and batted over .400 twice in a career that spanned the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. He was…