| Willard Brown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: June 26, 1915 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| Died: August 4, 1996 (aged 81) Houston, Texas, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| NgL: 1936, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| MLB: July 19, 1947, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: August 17, 1947, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| NgL: 1951, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| MLB[a] statistics | |
| Batting average | .351 |
| Hits | 580 |
| Home runs | 54 |
| Runs batted in | 391 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Negro leagues
Major League Baseball
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2006 |
| Election method | Committee on African-American Baseball |
Willard Jessie Brown (June 26, 1915 – August 4, 1996) was an American baseball player who played as an outfielder in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Browns, where he was one of the league's first African American players.[2] Often called "Home Run" Brown for making history as the first Black ballplayer to hit a home run in the American League, Brown's other nicknames included "Sonny," due to his preference for crowded Sunday games, and "Ese Hombre" ("That Man"), due to his offensive dominance playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League.[2][3]
For the Monarchs, Brown led the Negro American League in hits for eight seasons (1937–39, 1941–43, 1946, 1948) and runs batted in (RBI) seven times during his career. His eight times leading a league in hits is tied with Ty Cobb for most in baseball history while his seven times leading in RBI for a league is tied for second-most in baseball history with Josh Gibson; Gibson and Brown also finished in the top two in batting average in five seasons each, the most in Negro league history.[4]
In 1947, Willard Brown and fellow Monarchs player Hank Thompson both signed with the St. Louis Browns, becoming the third and fourth Black ballplayers in the MLB and marking the first time two African Americans played as teammates on the same MLB team.[5] Brown is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
- ^ "MLB officially designates the Negro Leagues as 'Major League'". MLB.com. December 16, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Posnanski, Joe (2007). The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060854041.
- ^ "Brown's lone big league homer made history | Baseball Hall of Fame". baseballhall.org. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
- ^ "Most Times Leading League Batting Statistics".
- ^ "Remembering the St. Louis Browns and their role in integrating Major League Baseball". STLPR. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
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