Barney Brown     

Barney Brown

 

Brinquitos "Barney" Brown

Lloydminster, 1955-56. 

On his player form, Brown stated he was a pitcher-OF, 5'11 1/2", 155

Batted Left, Threw Left.

Born Hartsville SC, home Philadelphia PA, 42, pro ball for 16-17 years (10 years in AAA). 

When he joined the Meridians he gave his date of birth as October 23, 1912. 

The Social Security Death Index in the United States lists a Barney Brown of Philadelphia, who died in October, 1985, as having been born October 23, 1907. Thus, he would have been 47 when he first pitched for the Meridians in 1955 and 48 when he wrapped up his baseball career the following season.

"Ageless Barney Brown, the reliable Lloydminster 'junker' who tosses everything but the kitchen sink at the plate, unfurled a nifty two-hitter to gain credit for the win."  (Moose Jaw Times-Herald, July 13, 1956) 

Curly Williams  (on Barney Brown) "Let me tell you, he was great.  When we had him in Lloydminster he'd probably throw two pitches that would hit the front of the plate that couldn't even get to the catcher.  Then he'd come up there and strike the side out. And he was an old man. When Barney Brown came to Lloydminster he was almost fifty years old.  He was like Satchel Paige, he just didn't get the breaks.  That guy was something else.  Just a little guy too.  Didn't weight over 170 pounds.  But he had so much stuff on the ball he had guys swinging at the ball before it got to the plate. He was amazing."

This is the only film/video of Brown we've managed to uncover (the source is unknown). It is believed to be from 1942 or 1946 when Brown appeared in the Negro League's All-Star game as a representative of the Philadelphia Stars.


Below - Barney Brown (left to right) - 1936 with the New York Black Yankees; in 1944 with the Philadelphia Stars; 1944-45 Veracruz, Mexico; 1950-51 Ponce, Puerto Rico; in North Dakota early in the 1955 season with Minot Mallards.

Black Yankees Philly Vera Cruz PonceBarney Brown Minot

Below left - Brown with Brantford Red Sox of the Ontario Intercounty League in 1954, and right - with the Lloydminster Meridians of the Western Canada League in 1955.

"One of the best left-handed hurlers in the Negro National League, his screwball, good control, and competitive spirit made the slick southpaw a leading pitcher during the late 1930s and the 1940s. Brown pitched in five East-West All-Star games in four years, appearing in both games played in 1946 . . .

He began his professional career in 1931 and, before joining the (New York) Black Yankees, played with the Cuban Stars of the East-West League in 1932 . . .

Playing winters in Latin America, he led the Puerto Rican League in victories twice (1941-42 and 1946-47); in the latter year he won 16 games and had an ERA of 1.24 for San Juan . . .

Always a good hitter with reasonable power at the plate, he had a high walk ratio as a batter.  He sometimes played in the outfield or pinch-hit to utilize his bat in the lineup . . .

He was the best pitcher in Mexico in 1941, with a record of 19-4, and after finishing the season he pitched for Guayama in the Puerto Rican winter league. While there he offered his services to the Newark Eagles for $200 a month.  Willie Wells, who was to manage the Eagles in 1942, beseeched owner Abe Manley to sign Brown, but Manley failed to act decisively, and the Eagles lost the pitcher who could have meant a championship for them.  Instead he signed with the Philadelphia Stars for the 1942 season and is credited with a record of 23-8 against all levels of opposition (but with a 5-7 league ledger) and earned another All-Star appearance.  Brown wore uniform number 1 with the Philadelphia Stars, indicative of his status as ace of the mound corps."
 -- James A. Riley The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues.

Mah & BrownBarney Brown, Jimmy Valentine

Left - Barney Brown & me (Harvey Jay-Dell Mah) in 1956 with the Lloydminster Meridians. Right - Brown and Jimmy Valentine looking cool in downtown Brandon during their tenure with the Brandon Greys in 1952.

Brown played in the Negro Leagues,  Mexico, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico from 1931 to 1952. 

He moved to Canada and the ManDak League in 1952-53 (9-4, .306 in 18 games with the 1953 Brandon Greys), Brantford of Ontario's InterCounty League in 1954 and Lloydminster in 1955-56.

In 1955, Brown was among the elite pitchers in the Western Canada Baseball League.  In 11 starts, all complete games, he went 5-5 with a 2.90 ERA, 5th best in the circuit.  He made 11 starts in 1956, but with a 4-6 record and a 6.31 ERA.

Year Club        League   G IP     W  L  H   R ER BB  SO ERA
1931 Cuban Stars
1932 Cuban Stars
1933
1934 Jamestown ND                 14  6 ***
1935-36 Marianao    CWL   9        3  4
1936 New York       NNL
1936-37 Marianao    CWL  19        7  9
1937 New York,Phil  NNL
1937-38 Havana      CWL   4        0  1 
1938 New York       NNL
1938-39 Havana      CWL  24        6  9
1939 New York       NNL
1939 Vera Cruz      MEX  23 173.1 16  5 138    48 33 141 2.49
1940 Vera Cruz      MEX  29 175   16  7 206    78 56 113 4.01
1941 Farceur        MEX  28 173.2 16  5 183    76 60  78 3.94
1941-42 Guayama     PRWL          16  6
1942 Philadelphia   NNL
1943 Philadelphia   NNL            4  3
1943 Mex City Reds  MEX            6  8                  4.52
1944 Philadelphia   NNL
1944-45 Veracruz    MEX
1945 Mexico City    MEX  24 137.1  6  8 170    69 72  56 4.52
1945 Philadelphia   NNL   5  29    3  1  26        8  19
1946 Philadelphia   NNL  12  93    8  4  79       15  52
1946-47 San Juan    PRWL    166   16  5        23        1.25
1947 Philadelphia   NNL  13  62    2  8  82           16
1947-48 Ponce       PRWL     47.2  2  4        25 28  17 4.72
1948 Philadelphia   NNL 
1949 Philadelphia   NAL  12  78    1  8  93 48 39 30  38 4.50
1950 Torreon        MEX  30 213.2 12 10 198    66 86 157 2.78
1951 Torreon        MEX  32 230   15 12 245    80 94  98 3.13
1952 Brandon *      MADK
1952 Escogido       DMSL  5  29.2  3  1         7        2.12
1952 Torreon        MEX  12  83    3  6  94    43 50  40 4.66
1953 Brandon        MADK    122    9  4           53  76
1954 Brantford      IC             7  3
1954 Cibaenas       DMSL  4  13    0  1         8        5.54
1955 Lloydminster** WCBL 10  87    5  5  92 32 28 20 47  2.90
1956 Lloydminster   WCBL 11  67    4  6  93 63 47 30 14  6.31


Year Club        League   G  AB  R H  2B 3B HR RBI SB  BA
1934 Jamestown ND           156    48        2        .308 ***
1939 Vera Cruz      MEX  46 148 24 47  4  2  0 16   0 .318
1940 Vera Cruz      MEX  66 192 36 54 17  0  0 27   1 .281
1941 Farceur        MEX  78 251 38 81 12  2  0 39   0 .323
1944 Philadelphia   NNL  30  71  6 14  3  0    12   0 .197
1945 Mexico City    MEX  47 129 32 41  2  6  0 18   0 .318
1945 Philadelphia   NNL  11  35  5  8  3  0  0  4   0 .229
1946 Philadelphia   NNL  36  70  8 12  2  0  0  7   1 .171
1947 Philadelphia   NNL  13  63  4  7  0  0  0      0 .111
1947-48 Ponce       PRWL     33  3  9  0  0  0  3   0 .273
1949 Philadelphia   NAL  20  39  5 13  0  0  0      0 .333
1950 Torreon        MEX  41  88 11 26  1  1  0  8   1 .295
1951 Torreon        MEX  45 102 11 28  3  0  0  7   0 .275
1952 Torreon        MEX  13  30  2  7  2  0  0  2   0 .233
1952 Brandon        MADK 
1953 Brandon        MADK 18  49    15        0 10   0 .306
1954 Brantford      IC 
1955 Lloydminster   WCBL 20  56  6  7  0  1  0  4   0 .125
1956 Lloydminster   WCBL 24  94  5 11  0  0  0  6   1 .117

* No final statistics are available, but Brown appears to have played in just three or four regular season games.  He won his first three starts, all complete games. He allowed just one run in each.

** The final stats were incomplete. Brown was in at least 12 games. He started 11 and completed them all. He started the season with Minot of the ManDak League (he joined Lloydminster in July, 1955).

*** Stats from Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe, by Kyle McNary