Dick Brown

This page is for Richard Ernest "Dick" Brown, major league player from 1957-1965. For other players with similar names, click here

Richard Ernest Brown

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut June 20, 1957
• Final Game October 3, 1965
• Born January 17, 1935 in Shinnston, WV USA
• Died April 17, 1970 in Baltimore, MD USA

BR page

[edit] Biographical Information

Richard Brown is a former right handed catcher who attended Florida State University. He played from 1957 to 1965 for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles.

Brown was a high school catcher for Herb Score and was dating Score's sister Helen when Score signed with the Indians. Brown was planning on going to dental school, but Helen told the Indians they should sign Score's catcher also. The Indians needed catchers in their minor league system, so they did in 1953. Brown, who is Larry Brown's brother, made his big league debut on June 20, 1957 against the Boston Red Sox at the age of 22.

As a whole, his career never amounted to much, although it did have a few bright spots. He played in 636 games over 9 seasons, hitting .244 with 62 home runs and 223 RBI. His best two seasons were the two he spent with Detroit-he hit 16 home runs in 1961 and 12 home runs in 1962. He had a .989 fielding percentage.

Career highlights include back-to-back-to-back home runs he hit with Norm Cash and Steve Boros on May 23, 1961. He hit a grand slam less than one month earlier on April 29.

He played his final game on October 3, 1965. He was forced to retire because of a brain tumor, which would eventually prove to be inoperable and fatal. Brown threw out the first pitch of Game 3 of the 1966 World Series.

After his playing days, he was a scout for the Orioles until his death from a brain tumor in 1970. He is buried in Pinecrest Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida.

[edit] Major transactions

(from Baseball-Reference)

• December 6, 1959: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Don Ferrarese, Minnie Minoso, and Jake Striker to the Chicago White Sox for Johnny Romano, Bubba Phillips, and Norm Cash.
• December 7, 1960: Traded by the Milwaukee Braves (who signed him about ten days earlier) with Bill Bruton, Chuck Cottier, and Terry Fox to the Detroit Tigers for Frank Bolling and Neil Chrisley.
• November 26, 1962: Traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Baltimore Orioles for Gus Triandos and Whitey Herzog.

[edit] Other information

• The numbers he wore in his career were 11 (1957-'59), 20 (1960) and 10 (1961-'65).
• He was teammates with Rocky Colavito for 5 years, longer than any other teammate.
• According to Baseball Reference, he is most similar statistically to Kelly Stinnett.

[edit] Related Sites