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Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown Photo Gallery
Another Edition of:
Baseball’s Most Lopsided Trades!
The Cardinals Trade Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown to the Cubs!
“Three Finger Brown, to my way of thinking, is the most courageous pitcher in the history of baseball…. Cool as a deep-sea fish and brave as a lion, nothing fazes him.” -Teammate Orval Overall
Brock for Broglio? Yeah, that was a pretty good deal…for the Cardinals, that is. Not so good for us Cub fans, however! But how about getting Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown from the Cardinals almost for free?? Now that’s a deal!!
One hundred twenty-two years ago this week, December 12, 1903, the Cardinals traded future Hall of Fame right-hander Mordecai Peter Centennial “Three Finger” Brown to the Cubs in exchange for pitcher Jack Taylor and journeyman catcher Larry McLean.
This trade is still described as one of the worst ever for the Cardinals and is actually one of the most lopsided in major league history. But on the flip side, it worked out great for the Cubs and is certainly one of their best. I guess you could almost describe the Brock-for-Broglio deal as the Cardinals’ revenge!
What a pitcher “Miner” Brown turned out to be for the Cubs. Over his 14-year career (1903-1916), Brown – a native of Terre Haute, Indiana, who lost parts of two fingers in his right hand in a farming accident – went 239-130 (.647), with a 2.06 ERA and 1375 strikeouts, truly one of the elite pitchers of the Deadball Era. His career ERA is the third-best in major league history among players in the Hall of Fame, and is the best in history for any pitcher with 200 or more wins.
Brown’s most productive period was his nine seasons with the Cubs from 1904-1912 when he went 188-86 (.686), including six consecutive seasons of 20-plus wins. His best season was 1909 when he posted a 27-9 record (.750), with a 1.31 ERA, leading the National League in wins (27), complete games (32), and innings pitched (342.2).
His five-year span from 1906 to 1910 has to be one of the most dominant in major league history. Over this time, he went 127-44 (.742), with a 1.41 ERA, 38 shutouts, averaged 291 innings each year, and was the ace on four pennant winners and two World Series championships. His 1.04 ERA in 1906 also led the league. All told, I’d say he turned out to be a pretty darned good pick-up for the Cubs!
And what exactly did the Cardinals get back in return for giving up the great Mordecai Brown? Jack Taylor was actually an above-average pitcher, going 152-139 with a 2.65 ERA over ten seasons in the majors. He holds the major league record for consecutive complete games in one season with 39.
But what made this trade even more lopsided in retrospect was that by 1906 Taylor was actually back with the Cubs! He went 20-12 with a 1.99 ERA in 1906 and was part of a great Cubs’ pitching staff which posted a 1.76 team ERA. He also contributed to the World Series-winning season of 1907 with a 7-5 record. So in essence, the Cubs got Mordecai Brown virtually for free.
The other player the Cards received was throw-in journeyman catcher Larry McLean, best known for his heavy drinking and violent behavior. At 6’5”, his biggest claim to fame was that he’s one of the tallest catcher in major league history. After the trade to the Cardinals, he bounced around the National League until 1913 when he landed with the Giants and became the backup catcher to Chief Meyers. He played in the 1913 World Series after Meyers was sidelined by injury.
In June 1915, McLean got into a brawl with Giants’ manager John McGraw and scout Dick Kinsella. During the fight, Kinsella broke a chair over McLean’s head. He was released shortly after and was out of the majors for good. Six years later, he was fatally shot by a bartender in a tavern brawl.
Funny how things like baseball trades have a way of evening out over time. You win some and you lose some. So while Cub fans like me still wince over the Brock-for-Broglio trade, let’s put it in perspective: Getting Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown 122 years ago almost for free was a pretty darn good deal…for the Cubs!
Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown passed away on February 14, 1948 in Nyesville, Indiana, aged 71. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame the following year by a vote of the Old-Timers Committee.
Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: All from Google search
Information: Excerpts edited from the Mordecai Brown and Jack Taylor Wikipedia page. Statistics from Baseball Reference.com
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What I loved were the 25 Classic pitching matchups between Brown and Christy Mathewson in the early days of last century’s dead ball era and the Cubs dynasty in the aughts and beyond. It’s hard to believe the last one will be 110 years ago this upcoming season.
One of my favorites in Cooperstown is when you enter the eras displays threshold and the first one that hits you is the Cubs early aughts with Tinkers to Evers to Chance memorabilia and a copy of a poster touting the Labor Day pitching matchup of Brown and Mathewson at Weeghman Park in 1916.
That was the 25th and last of them. Classic.
Thanks Paul, great memories!
Baseball nicknames ain’t what they used to be. Imagine the blowback if the name “Three Finger” Brown appeared in the media today. Or “Dummy” Hoy. Or even “Chief” Bender.
Vince,
With today’s vitriol on social media, player today more apt to be named “Middle Finger” Brown..🥴
Haha! Good point!