Lowly Browns ’47 failed integration story largely erased from the Robinson/Doby storybook success

 Lowly Browns ’47 failed integration story largely erased from the Robinson/Doby storybook success

Ask someone to comment on the ’47 Major League Baseball integration story and you’ll get near unanimous mention of Jackie Robinson’s NL Dodger debut on Opening Day, April 15 followed by Larry Doby’s AL Indians debut on July 5. Both had tremendous careers enshrining them in the Hall of Fame. They and the owners Branch Ricky and Bill Veeck respectively are revered in the wildly successful ’47 integration story.

But virtually ignored is the third tho failed ’47 integration experiment of the sad sack St. Louis Browns. Owner Bill DeWitt took a flyer on 2 Negro League players, 22 year old Hank Thompson with just 134 Negro League games played and 32 year old journeyman Negro League player Willard Brown with just 316 games

De Witt did not approach integration with the preparation and heart of both Rickey and Veeck. Many saw it as desperate attempt to spike attendance for the last place Browns drawing more flies than fans. Both debuted just 2 weeks after Doby in the AL and 3 months after Robinson in the NL. Not prepared for the pressure of playing in the Majors southernmost city with teammates rooting for failure, neither Thompson nor Brown gained traction. They performed poorly and played just 21 and 27 games respectively before being sent back to the KC Monarchs in the Negro League.

Brown did achieve a bit of baseball history on August 13, hitting the first home run by an American League black player , ahead of future slugger Larry Doby. When Brown triumphantly rounded the bases and returned to the dugout…he found his bat had been broken, not by the ball but by the Brownies. Probably broke a piece of Brown’s heart as well.

Why has Thompson and Brown’s groundbreaking ’47 season largely been benched in MLB history? Neither fared well and didn’t make it back in ’48 (tho Thompson became a respectable player for 8 seasons with the NY Giants beginning in ’49). Poor preparation, racism among the ironically named Browns and lack of nationwide support sealed their fate.

Their virtual erasure from one of the most important chapters in the civil rights struggle is a shame. It didn’t fit the storybook narrative of Rickey, Veeck, Robinson and Doby. The woeful Browns’ owner Bill DeWitt and heir 2 black groundbreakers Hank Thompson and Willard Brown deserved better.

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1Igor Zbitnoff

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Comment as Walt Zlotow