Mordecai Brown - Three Fingers Brown

Brown wasn't your typical baseball player. A childhood accident left him with two missing fingers on his right hand, yet he defied limitations to become one of the most dominant pitchers of the Deadball Era. This essay explores the remarkable career of Brown, a Hall of Fame pitcher whose exceptional control and deceptive curveball baffled batters for over a decade.

Born in 1876, Brown's path to baseball stardom wasn't conventional. His early career was a journeyman's odyssey, bouncing between minor league teams before landing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1903. Despite his unorthodox grip due to the missing fingers, Brown showcased exceptional control and a devastating curveball. However, his debut season was a struggle, and he was traded to the Chicago Cubs after just one year.

It was in Chicago that Brown's career truly flourished. Under the tutelage of legendary manager Frank Chance, Brown thrived in a pitching-centric era. His pinpoint accuracy and ability to induce groundouts made him a perfect fit for the Deadball Era, where low scoring games were the norm. Between 1904 and 1912, Brown became the anchor of the Cubs' pitching staff, leading the team to two World Series victories in 1907 and 1908. He consistently racked up wins, averaging over 22 victories a season during this dominant eight-year stretch.

Born October 19, 1876, in Nyesville, Indiana, was Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown. This legend was a World Series Champion with the Chicago Cubs in 1907, 08. He led the National League in wins in 1909 and the entire MLB in ERA in 1906.