On Oct. 1, 1944, the lowly St. Louis Browns shocked the baseball international through beating the New York Yankees to win the American League pennant. Before the season, only one sportswriter in America, Post-Dispatch sports activities editor J.E. Wray, had picked the Browns to win. Here is his column after the victory.
ONE of the strangest pennant victories in the historical past of both primary league was once completed through the St. Louis Browns after they beat the Yanks in the ultimate sport of the season, whilst Washington was once defeating the red-hot Detroit Tigers, the day past.
On Aug. 24, 1951, proprietor Bill Veeck made up our minds to let enthusiasts dangle up “Yes” and “No” indicators to make all the managerial choices throughout a St. Louis Br…
We’ll make it 130 million, with a few exceptions they have been Luke Sewell and this author. When the Browns surged to the entrance early in the season and remained there, observers have been announcing: “Well, the rocket is going up we’ll wait for the stick to fall.” And that was once the nationwide angle.
Nobody believed in a membership made up of discards, un-heralded gamers with an exception or two, fading stars and has-beens who have been seeking to come again, plus a couple of novices. Time went on The Browns remained up there.
People also are studying…
Team after crew challenged.
Now after which for a little while one membership or any other solid to the entrance and gave the look of a winner.
The Browns two times have been handed through the Yankees, as soon as through the Senators after which through the large teach from Detroit, the Tigers. Luke Sewell’s nobodies took all of them of their stride.
They rose to each and every instance. And when the pinch got here, with the supposedly overpowering Tigers as opponents, they outlasted and outgamed them at the end. It was once an earned and deserved victory, completed towards basic opinion and in the face of handicaps.
And, In the historical past of the American League, we will be able to to find no parallel and no membership that did extra with apparently much less, than the Browns have simply completed,… You’ll simply must take off your hats to a crew that hit the canvas thrice after which bounced as much as lick the enemy.
Yes, however What Will The Cards Do to ’Em.
THE Browns will graduate into a global sequence with the “supermen” of the National League, the Cardinals, beginning Wednesday.… Friends of the Browns glance in this come upon with about the similar self belief enthusiasts had as to the crew’s possibilities of profitable the American League pennant at the get started of the 1944 season…. They sympathize however doubt. One fan closing night time mentioned the odds needs to be 5 to one towards the Browns.… And possibly that’s the proper thought.… We don’t proportion the view.… Nor do the execs who lay odds towards World Series baseball.
The Cards are 1 to two and the Browns 16 to ten, towards. But if the Browns first sport, the odds scenario will probably be materially modified.
There isn’t a lot doubt that the Cards have a awesome membership — guy for guy, in maximum positions…. But those Browns have produced the items extra persistently than another membership in baseball, except for the Cards.… And you simply can’t write off a brave crew or a sport guy, in any line of enterprise. If the Browns had somewhat bit extra firepower we’d again them to overcome the Cards.… Unfortunately, we will be able to’t be expecting Chet Laabs to tug two extra house runs out of the hat in a single sport, or an identical feats which don’t seem to be inside the cheap expectation of the Browns’ batting previous.
We’d be prepared to take the Browns’ pitchers towards the Cards’ large 4.… But on Sewell’s membership there’s no Walker Cooper, no Musial, no Marty Marion and no Ray Sanders.
Man for guy we give the Cards the coloration.… But it will probably be no marvel if the Browns step out and climax their pennant race with a good mote astounding success in the World Series.
The day the Browns clinched the pennant
With the closing out, enthusiasts jump to cheer as the Browns win the pennant on Oct. 1, 1944. Post-Dispatch pictures.
Outfielder Chet Laabs, who hit two house runs in the clinching sport, will get a tribute from teammates (from left) Vern Stephens, Newman Shirley and Denny Galehouse on Oct. 1, 1944. Post-Dispatch pictures.
Near the finish of the sport, the Browns dugout presentations an air of self belief. Post-Dispatch picture.
Sigmund Jakucki, left, watches from the dugout. The Browns pitcher saved the Yankees in take a look at whilst pitching his crew to the pennant. Post-Dispatch picture.
Yankees supervisor Joe McCarthy consults with Browns supervisor Luke Sewell. Post-Dispatch picture.
President Don Barnes, wearing a Browns championship badge, appears to be like at the closing ball utilized in the clinching sport, as display through first baseman George McQuinn on Oct. 1, 1944. Post-Dispatch pictures.
