Evening star., 1948-02-14
Star
Famed as Nemesis
OF Great Matty
BY The Asseeie,sd Press

TERRE HAUTE, Ind, Feb. a.
Mordecai Brown, one OF the all
time great pitchers in major league
baseball, died in Union Hospital to-
day. He was II years old.
Anchor man on the pitching staff
of the Chicago Cubs, he returned to
his boyhood home here after retir-
ing In 1916 from professional base
ball. His death followed q long ILL
ness.
He served with the Cubs nine
years, amassing q pitching record Of
239 victories and 13l defeats.
Funeral services had not been ar
ranged.
It was so years ago that Mordecai
Brown, one Of the greatest pitchers
in the game, broke into baseball
as q third baseman.
Back in 1893 when Christy Math-
ewson, who was to wage many .
mound duel with Brown in later
years, still was attending Bucknel
University, Brown left the Indiana
coal fields to join the Coxville Gndo
team, a semi-pro outfit. He had
only three fingers on his right hand,
having lost two In q mining acci-
dent, but the then 22-year-old
youngster put 50 much on the ball
in his throws to first base that he
was moved over to the pitchers box.
Started With Cardinals.
Brown, who was to become known
to millions Of baseball followers as
Three Fingers" or Miner" broke
Into the National League with the
st. Louis Cardinals In 1908. He
gave an indication Of things to
come when in his major league
debut, he shut out the Chicago
Cubs, the club with which he was
to gain his greatest fame. N that
contest, limited to f1ve innings be-
cause of rain, he held the Cubs to
one single.
The Cubs never forgot the game
which this powerful youngster from
the mines flung against them and
the next year owner Jim Hart OF
Chicago traded Pitcher Jack Taylor
and Catcher Jack O'Neill, an older
brother of Steve, present Detroit
manager, to St. Louis for Mordecai.
1t turned out to be one Of the most
advantageous deals ever ade by
the Cubs.
Brown won 20 or more victories
for six straight years with the Cubs,
having his greatest year in 1908 to
lead the then invincible Cubs to
their third straight National League
championship.
Beat Matty for Flag.
In 1908 he came within one tri-
umph of notching 80 wins, his 29th
victory becoming the most important
In his career. That came in the
famous playoff with the New York
Giants for the flag. Brown had
relieved Jack Pfiester in the first
inning after the Giants had nicked
the lefthander for 2 runs and held
the Polo Grounders at bay the rest
of the game to beat the immortal
MatheWson AZ. Brown faced
Mathewson "a times and scored 13
victories, nine In row.
Browns full name was Mordecai
Peter Centennial Brown. His folks
pinned the name Of Centennial on
him because he was born In the
Centennial Year Of 1876. He was
born In q little town called Nyes-
vile, Ind, but for many years he
made his home In Terre Haute,
talking about his baseball start one
day, he said:
IT got my start as q pitcher by
accident in Brazil, Ind. I was play
ing for the Coxville team and we
were scheduled to play the Brazil
club, one Of the strongest semi-pro
teams in the region.
The boys of Coxville sent all the
money they could to bet on us. Every
player on our team was a coal
miner. Just before game time our
pitcher fell and hurt his arm. He
was the only twirler we had. i was
playing third and had never pitched
a game in my life.
Johnny Buckley, our manager.
handed me the ball, told me that
since had the best arm on the
team. I would have to pitch. Well.
I went in and beat Brazil, 9-3. Right
after the game Brazil signed me up
fo,. x,o,,eb moro rn01ey"