Pete Browning

From BR Bullpen

Louis Rogers Browning (Pete, Gladiator)

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

Debut May 2, 1882
Final Game September 30, 1894
Born June 17, 1861 in Louisville, KY USA
Died September 10, 1905 in Louisville, KY USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Pete Browning, the original "Louisville Slugger", had an impressive 162 lifetime Adjusted OPS, ranking # 13 on the all-time list, one point below Jimmie Foxx and three points above Stan Musial. Browning is not in the Hall of Fame partly because none of the voters had likely seen him play (Browning's career ended in 1894, over 40 years before the Hall of Fame got started), and partly because his performances in the American Association were better than his performances later in his career in the National League.

Browning's hitting from 1882-1888 was uniformly excellent. He was in the top three in batting average each year, and was in the top five in slugging each year as well. In 1887 he stole 103 bases, good for fourth in the league.

Browning came to the Players League in 1890, giving him a chance to test his abilities against players who had come from the National League. He won the 1890 batting title (the # 2 batter was also a refugee from the American Association, Dave Orr), and also led the league in doubles. He had the highest Adjusted OPS in the league.

Browning then came to the National League in 1891 for the first time as a veteran who was 30 years old. The first three of his four seasons there were good, although not up to his earlier standards. In 1891 he was third in the league in batting average.

The SABR biography of Browning says that he was a talented semi-pro ballplayer in Louisville for four years before coming to the majors. He pitched a shutout against the National League Louisville Grays in 1877. Browning became deaf due to mastoiditis, and the discomfort from that condition may have caused him to become a heavy drinker and an eccentric; he was eventually committed to an insane asylum (it's possible that syphillis contributed to the problem). He is remembered as a terrible defensive player, but that image may be overblown since his fielding percentages were around the averages for the day.

After baseball he owned a bar and then worked as a cigar salesman before his mental breakdown.