Time to add one of the great pitchers of the Negro Leagues to me long-running "Negro Leagues All-Time Legends" thread, celebrating the greats of the game that were not given the chance to play in the (then) Major Leagues, Ray Brown:
Brown put in most of
his Hall of Fame career with the Homestead Grays, playing between 1931
and 1945, and he put up some incredible numbers.
Finishing his
career with a ridiculous .721 winning percentage, he went 119-46,
leading the NBL in wins five times, while also taking home two ERA
titles and three strikeout titles.
His 1938 season could be
the greatest year of any pitcher in the long history of the NBL when he
posted a record of 14-0 with a 1.88 ERA, completing 11 of his 20 starts
with four shutouts and three saves and 70 strikeouts, ALL league-leading
marks!
On top of all that, the man his .286 at the plate with
20 runs scored and 20 runs batted in over 32 games, proving he could do
it all!
So often overshadowed by teammates such as Josh
Gibson, Buck Leonard and Jud Wilson, Brown was rightfully celebrated in
2006 with his spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
