Walt Brown
Walt Brown
Walt Brown was a graduate of Bemus Point School in 1933 where he lettered in basketball, cross country, track and baseball. He played semi-pro baseball around the Jamestown area with Sheppard Furniture and the Steel Partition Bombers before breaking into professional baseball with Ashville, North Carolina of the Southern League in 1935. He then went to Albany, Georgia of the Georgia-Florida League and later to Huntington, West Virginia, before signing with the St. Louis Cardinals.
With the Cardinals' Bentonville, Arkansas team of Arkansas State League, he won 13 and lost 3 which earned him an invitation to the Cardinals' spring training camp. He eventually pitched for Daytona Beach, Salina, Kansas, and Kilgore, Texas where he was married at home plate in 1939.
Brown caught on with Clarksdale, Mississippi of the Cotton State League. He was then sold to Oklahoma City, was sent up to Memphis of the Class AA Southern Association and then moved on to Toledo of the Class AAA International League.
Toledo had a working agreement with the St. Louis Browns who called him up in 1944 where he remained through 1947. He appeared in 19 games for the Browns, mostly in relief, and compiled a 1-0 record. He pitched against famous players like Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto and Joe DiMaggio. After his retirement from professional baseball in 1954 Brown returned to Chautauqua County and managed in the County League.
Walt Brown was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 1982. He died in 1991.
1982 Hall of Fame Inductees
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A membership program is available to persons who are interested in preserving the history of sports in Chautauqua County and honoring the outstanding individuals who have created our cherished sports memories.
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Inductees are honored at the hall in Jamestown, NY.
Video Archive
The Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame has a collection of DVD's chronicling sports in Chautauqua County, the Hall of Fame inductees and interviews with sports personalities. They are available for viewing by visitors at the hall. See the complete list on our video archive page.
