The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-06
CRIPPLED, BUT HE'S STILL A GREAT TWInER;
N0RDECM BROWN HAS WONDERFUL BOX RECORD

Cincinnati. Ohio. March 6.-Less
than five years ago. if the question
We're asked Who is the greatest hurl-
| er in active service""' AT that time
six out of ten Western fans would say
Miner" Brown. In the east. elk II
of ten would say 'Ma1ty.' and very
mothers son of the Chicago fans that
follow in the fortunes OF the Cubs.
would pipe o IL "Mordecai Brown" 4
mighty hurler is this chap, that is
blessed with a good old biblical
name: a handle that adds tone to the
somewhat unromantic, but substantial
name Of Brown.
AT Nyesville, Ind. Oct. 10. 1876. was
this future pitching prodigy born.
Coming from English and Welsh par
entage. he inherited many of the COM
mendable traits that characterize
these races.
When a child he playfully put his
nam in a cutting box; when he with
drew it the index finger was amputat-
ed below the second joint, the second
finger broken m the thumb and
small finger crushed. When he grew
to be a good stout lad, he took to base
ball, the acciden, in no way proving
a handicap; in fact, the way the hand
formed in healing he found he could
grasp the ball in a vice-like grip, that
later. when he began to rehearse for
a hurler. 1t proved to be of great as
sistance in Importing to the ball an
extra rotary motion. that made his
curves n shoots famous.
Vas Third Baseman.
Mordecai didn't start III as a hurl-
er. He cavorted around third base for
a few seasons in his amateur days.
Owing to the peculiar twist he could
impart to the ball, he was advised to
practice pitching. In Throwing across
the diamond to the tirstsacker the ball
would take the most astonishing loops
missing 1t, sometimes by a yard.
Miner" Brown became so proficient
in pitching a ball that the Terre Haute
club Of the Three-Eye league gave
him a trial as hurler. So on the fifth
day Of May, 1901, Mordecai Brown
hurled his first game of professional
baseball. The Rockford club was the
first league club to fall before young
Mr.. Browns deceptive bendere. In
fact. this raw recruit, right from the
mines, was practically the whole
works the first three innings of that
game; he struck out five men and had
a hand in retiring three more. He
Won the game. and by his grand
SSaAs oOSiAO ludt SS6SOn en-.
abled the "Hottentots'' to win the
pennant.
Omaha club Of the Western leageu.
had him in 1902. His grand work for
that club gave him entree into the
big show"
Started With the Cardinals.
The st. Louis Cardinals signed him
for 1903. He was their star hurler-
il there could be a star in a team that
was watering around at the bottom of
second division.
Chicago Nationals secured Brown in
a trade the following season. While
With St. Louis Mordecai always pitch
ed g1lt-edge ball against the Cubs"
and they had considerable respect for
the husky miner. Manager Frank
Selee didn't realize for a minute what
a prize he had landed when he made
the trade.
In his nine seasons as a member OF
the Chicago Cubs he has pitched 244
games. winning III, giving him a per-
centage Of .701. Many wonderful
pitching feats have been recorded by
this Nyesville prodigy.
In a game against Cincinnati Sent.