Ray Brown (Negro leagues pitcher) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raymond Brown |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: February 23, 1908 Alger, Ohio |
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| Died: February 8, 1965 (aged 56) Dayton, Ohio |
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| debut | |||
| 1930, for the Dayton Marcos | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1948, for the Homestead Grays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 122–45 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.02 | ||
| Strikeouts | 690 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2006 | ||
| Election Method | Committee on African-American Baseball | ||
Raymond Brown (born February 23, 1908 – died February 8, 1965) was an American baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher who played mostly for the Homestead Grays. This team was part of the Negro leagues.
Many people thought he was the best pitcher in the Negro leagues during his career. He helped the Grays win eight championships in nine years. Ray Brown was also a good pinch hitter and a strong batter. In February 2006, he was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Who Was Ray Brown?
Ray Brown was born in Alger, Ohio. He had many different pitches he could throw. These included a sinker, a slider, and even a knuckleball. His best pitch was his curveball. Brown was very confident in his curveball. He would throw it to batters no matter what the score was.
Playing for the Homestead Grays
Brown played for the Homestead Grays from 1932 to 1945. The team was led by Cumberland Posey. Ray Brown later married Posey's daughter, Ethel.
In 1944, he had a great season, winning 9 games and losing 3. He helped the Grays win the championship that year. He even threw a one-hit shutout in the Negro World Series. This win made them the top team in African-American baseball. In 1945, he threw a seven-inning perfect game. This means no batter reached base against him.
Playing After the Grays
After playing for the Grays for a long time, Ray Brown played in Mexico. He also played in the Canadian Provincial League in his last years. He continued to be a very strong pitcher in these leagues. He helped the Sherbrooke team win a championship in the Provincial League.
Brown also pitched a no-hitter for Santa Clara. This was in the Cuban Winter League. Many black players played in Cuba during the winter. Brown also helped Santa Clara win the Cuban championship in 1936.
All-Star Games and Awards
In 1935, Brown was chosen to start the East-West All-Star Game. This was the Negro league version of the All-Star Game.
Ray Brown led his league in wins eight times. He also led in ERA twice and strikeouts three times. In 1938, he achieved the pitching Triple Crown. This means he led the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA all in the same year. He won 14 games, had 70 strikeouts, and an ERA of 1.88. He was only the second player in Negro league history to do this.
Later Life and Legacy
Like many great Negro league players, Brown also became a manager later in his career. In 1938, a newspaper called the Pittsburgh Courier sent a message to the Pittsburgh Pirates. It said that Brown was one of five black players good enough for the major leagues. The other players mentioned were Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Cool Papa Bell, and Satchel Paige.
Ray Brown passed away at age 56 in Dayton, Ohio.
On August 10, 2010, he was honored by the Washington Nationals Ring of Honor. This was for his important contributions to baseball in Washington, D.C., as a player for the Homestead Grays.
Images for kids
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Ray Brown in his Homestead Grays uniform.
