1941 St. Louis Browns season
Encyclopedia
The St. Louis Browns
season was a season in American baseball
. It involved the Browns finishing 6th in the American League
with a record of 70 wins and 84 losses.
was appointed the Browns new manager on June 5, 1941. While the St. Louis Cardinals
drew over 600,000 fans, the Browns barely drew 175,000. The consensus was that St. Louis could not support two teams.
. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
had guaranteed attendance of 500,000, a figure that the Browns had not seen since their 1924 season
. The Browns would play in the stadium that was used by the Pacific Coast League
’s Los Angeles Angels
. As part of the agreement to move to Los Angeles, the Browns would buy the stadium. It was expected that all Major League Baseball owners would approve of the move at the upcoming Winter Meetings. Before the scheduled meetings, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor
, and California would stay closed to Major League Baseball for another decade.
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 6th 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 70 wins and 84 losses.
Offseason
- November 16, 1940: George CasterGeorge CasterGeorge Jasper Caster nicknamed "Ug," was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Athletics , St. Louis Browns , and Detroit Tigers . Born in Colton, California, Ug appeared in 376 major league games and compiled a record of 76-100 in 1377-2/3 innings pitched...
was selected off waivers by the Browns from the Philadelphia AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Regular season
The 1941 season marked a change in management, as Luke SewellLuke Sewell
James Luther Sewell was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cleveland Indians , Washington Senators , Chicago White Sox and the St. Louis Browns . Sewell batted and threw right-handed...
was appointed the Browns new manager on June 5, 1941. While the St. Louis Cardinals
1941 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 60th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 50th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-56 during the season and finished 2nd in the National League.- Offseason :...
drew over 600,000 fans, the Browns barely drew 175,000. The consensus was that St. Louis could not support two teams.
Potential move to Los Angeles
The Browns ownership had reached an agreement to move the franchise to Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is southern California's largest not-for-profit business federation, representing the interests of more than 235,000 businesses in L.A...
had guaranteed attendance of 500,000, a figure that the Browns had not seen since their 1924 season
1924 St. Louis Browns season
The 1924 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 4th in the American League with a record of 74 wins and 78 losses. This was George Sisler's first season as manager.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
. The Browns would play in the stadium that was used by the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
’s Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
. As part of the agreement to move to Los Angeles, the Browns would buy the stadium. It was expected that all Major League Baseball owners would approve of the move at the upcoming Winter Meetings. Before the scheduled meetings, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, and California would stay closed to Major League Baseball for another decade.
Notable transactions
- May 5, 1941: Rip RadcliffRip RadcliffRaymond Allen Radcliff was a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played mainly for the Chicago White Sox, but also played for the St. Louis Browns and the Detroit Tigers. His best season came in when he batted .342 and finished 9th in AL MVP voting...
was purchased from the Browns by 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 $25,000.
Roster
| 1941 St. Louis Browns | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders Other batters |
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 | 128 | 469 | 127 | .271 | 5 | 89 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 83 | 20 | .241 | 0 | 14 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 216 | 14 | 15 | 5.50 | 60 | |
| 30 | 190.1 | 9 | 10 | 3.64 | 61 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 104.1 | 3 | 7 | 5.00 | 36 | |
| 20 | 67 | 2 | 5 | 6.58 | 27 | |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5.98 | 17 | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.57 | 2 | |