Shibe Park, Philadelphia, PA, June 16, 1937 – Browns and Athletics battle for seventh place in the American League

Shibe Park, Philadelphia, PA, June 16, 1937 – Browns and Athletics battle for seventh place in the American League



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St Louis Browns right fielder Beau Bell tries to score the go ahead run but the tag by A’s catcher Frankie Hayes beats the slide and keeps the game, seven frames old, knotted at 2-2.

But the Browns would get that crucial lead run the following inning when Bell would redeem himself by knocking in teammate Sam West, who worked out a two-out walk, and hold on for a 3-2 victory in the battle of the American League basement. The win helped last place St Louis creep closer to that cherished seventh spot in the standings held by Connie Mack’s Athletics, cutting the lead to one game.

Bell was the well-deserved hero on the day finishing with three hits and improving his batting average to .371 on the season. Jack Knott would get the win on the mound for the Browns throwing a complete game with seven strike outs and was also aided by home runs from third baseman Harlond Clift (11th of the season) and second baseman Tom Carey (his first). Both coming off A’s starter Harry Kelley who took the loss and watch his record drop to 7-6, and things would get worse for the 5’9” hurler as he would go on to led the Majors with 21 losses.

On the A’s side Billy Werber would hit his second dinger of the year in the fifth inning that gave his team a 2-0 lead at that time.

And this fight for the seventh spot of the AL would go on all season as both teams would combine for 205 losses, but in the end the A’s would hold out and finish with a 54-97 record while the Browns had a dismal 46-108 season.

And just to give you an idea how terrible these two teams were, once again if you combine their yearly totals they finished 102.5 games behind the first place New York Yankees.

Also in the this photo is umpire Brick Owens, who pursued a career as a baseball arbitrator when at the age of 15 he shot himself in his left hand celebrating the Fourth of July in 1901 and in turn crushing any hopes of a career playing ball.

Would like to thank my friend Jay Gauthreaux for once again digging up another lost baseball memory with this photo.

-Ron A. Bolton

Photo Source – Jay Gauthreaux
Info Source – Baseball-Reference.com

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