Chicago Cubs: The Heroes of Wrigley Series presents: Mordecai Brown

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(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Cubs hurler’s handicap became a handicap for opposing players en route to becoming one of greatest pitchers of the Deadball Era and of All-Time.

Born Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown to a farming family in Nyesville, Indiana in 1876, he would go on to be known as “Three Finger” Brown, the ace right-hander for the great Chicago Cubs teams during the early decade of the Twentieth Century.

The reason for his nickname came when Mordecai Brown was just five years old. When feeding material into the farm’s feed chopper, his hand slipped and was mangled, severing much of his index finger and damaging the others. He further caused injury to the hand while it was healing after he fell chasing a rabbit, resulting in the breaking of his other fingers and were not set properly. These injuries resulted in a bent middle finger, a paralyzed little finger and a stump from where his index finger used to be.

When Mordecai reached his teenage years, he received another fitting nickname, “Miner” Brown, due to his working in the local coal mines. It was there that Brown found baseball as a working-class relief from the daily grind in the mines.

He learned to pitch by aiming rocks at the knot-holes on the sides of his family barn. He developed great control and his hand injury gave him an unusual spin, a handicap that would later make him one of the greatest pitchers during his era. His unique trajectories that curved and dropped at the same time, made it extremely hard to hit and, if you did, it was hit into the ground. He was a perfect fit for the Deadball Era.

The surrounding towns outside of Nyesville, Clinton, Shelburn, Brazil, and Coxville, all had semi-professional baseball teams and, by 1898, Brown was a third baseman playing semi-pro baseball for Coxville. When Coxville’s regular pitcher failed to report to the game, Brown was called to fill on the mound. His deformed hand enabled him to throw bewildering pitches with sublime movement and, since he was an infielder, add some extra defensive in the field, as well.

Despite his handicap, his pitching performance was so immaculate that the opposing manager offered Brown more money to come play for them. However, Brown didn’t jump until he’d completed the season.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

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During the next few seasons playing semi-pro, Brown dominated on the hill, winning a league championship and becoming a staff workhorse, finishing every game he started.

His skills caught the eye of the St. Louis Cardinals and, in 1903, made his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs.

It was during his first season in the big leagues that Brown and Christy Mathewson began their famous duels that would continue throughout the on-going seasons. On July 9, through eight innings, they were both majestic on the mound, not allowing a single run. However, the Giants would later get three runs in on Brown in the ninth but it was a duel that would set the stage for years to come.

While his rookie record was only 9-13, his earned run average led the team (2.60). The Cardinals finished the season in last place in the National League and 46 ½ games back.

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After the 1903 season, St. Louis, who was in desperate need of experienced pitching, traded the unproven Brown to the Chicago Cubs where he would embark on the greatest years of his career.

By 1906, Three Finger Brown quickly became known as one of the best players in the game. It marked the best season of his entire career going 26-6, tossing nine shutouts (32 complete games) and posting a 1.04 earned run average, third-best all-time in a single season.

The Cubs were also a dominant team early in the century. In 1906, they won a remarkable 116 games (tied most in Major League history) but lost in the World Series to their cross-town rival White Sox.

Brown was nothing but stellar the following season, posting a 20-6 record and an ERA of 1.39. The Cubs did not fall short this season as they won their first ever World Series in franchise history, defeating the Detroit Tigers in five games. Brown’s only appeared in the series came in the deciding game, winning 2-0.

In 1908, Brown and Christy Mathewson continued their rivalry. They were the league’s ERA leaders with Mathewson leading the league with 1.43 and Brown second with 1.47. Brown’s self-proclaimed “greatest game” came on Oct. 8, 1908, against the Mathewson and the Giants at New York’s Polo Grounds.

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This game was set into place because of one of the most infamous stories in Cubs lore, dubbed “Merkle’s Boner.”

On September 23, 1908, in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and the scored tied 1-1, 19 year-old Frank Merkle singled to put himself aboard, moving Moose McCormick to third. The next batter, Al Bridwell, followed with a single of his own, scoring McCormick, presumingly the game’s winning run. The fans in attendance rushed the field in celebration, under the impression the game was over.

However, Merkle ran to the Giants’ clubhouse to celebrate before touching second base.

Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers noticed this and, after retrieving the ball, touched second base and appealed to the umpire who then called Merkle out on a force play. Thus, the runner never scored.

With the game still tied and the Giants’ victory erased the game needed to continue. However, due to the thousands of fans on the field and the impending darkness of the night, the game was called and declared a tie. As it would be, the Cubs and Giants ended the season tied for first place, which set up a rematch to decide the winners of the National League pennant and Brown’s “greatest game” was set to happen.

Brown made appearances in 11 of the previous 14 games so Cubs manager Frank Chance decided to start Jack Pfeister over Brown. Mathewson started for the Giants in front of the reported 250,000 spectators in and around the Polo Grounds.

After the Giants rocked around Pfeister in the first inning, Chance, not willing to take any chances, called upon Brown to enter the game. He finished the game, besting Mathewson, pitching 8 1/3 innings, surrendering just four hits and giving up one unearned run.

The Cubs went on to repeat as World Champions, once again defeating the Detroit Tigers in five games. It would be the last World Series for the Cubs until 108 years later in 2016.

Brown pitched in relief in Game 1 for the victory and another win starting Game 4. Ty Cobb, one of the best hitters the game has ever seen and owner of the MLB record for career batting average (.367), said of Brown’s lively pitches provided by his misshapen fingers:

“It was a great ball, that downward curve of his. I can’t talk about all of baseball, but I can say this: It was the most deceiving, the most devastating pitch I ever faced.”

Cobb’s words would eventually be enshrined forever on the stone mark of Mordecai Brown in his hometown of Nyesville, Indiana.

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By 1912, the 35 year-old Brown lost his form and began dealing his nagging injuries. He was a shell of himself, appearing in only 15 games and posing a 5-6 record. After the season, the Chicago Cubs traded him to the Cincinnati Reds.

After going 11-12 for the Reds in 1913, Brown, along with other big leaguers, joined the short-lived Federal League in 1914. During his first season in the new league, he was a player/manager for St. Louis before going to Brooklyn. Combined he was 14-11 with an ERA of 3.52. In 1915, he returned to Chicago to play for the Federals, improving to 17-8 with an ERA 2.09 and winning the league championship.

When the Federal League folded, Brown returned for a final season with the Chicago Cubs. He was 39 years old and far from the dominant pitcher he was in his past. During his final season in 1916, he made only 12 appearances, going 2-3 with a 3.91 ERA.

His final game Major League game was on Sept. 4, 1916, against Christy Mathewson. The final face-off between the two rivals was a highly promoted event on Labor Day as it was the last big-league performances for both of the legendary pitchers.

Brown lost their final duel but bested the all-time matchup going 12-11 with one no-decision in their 24 matchups. At one point, Brown beat the Giants star nine consecutive times. The pitching rivalry is still known for being one of the best of all-time.

In 1949, he was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee. Sadly, he wouldn’t live long enough to see the induction as he died in Terre Haute, Indiana the prior year at the age of 71.

Forty-six years after his death, a three-foot-high granite stone was erected to mark the birthplace of Mordecai Brown in Nyesville, Indiana.

In his 14-year career in the Majors, Brown won 239 games while losing only 130 and had a lifetime ERA of 2.06.

In nine seasons with the Cubs, from 1904-12, Brown would win 186 games and had six straight seasons (1905-10) posting 20 or more wins. He still holds franchise pitching records including most career shutouts (48), lowest career ERA (1.80) and the lowest ERA in a single season (1.04 in 1906).

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During his tenure in Chicago, he was well respected and brought stability to the notoriously rowdy bunch. Teammate Johnny Evers‘ words are enshrined at Brown’s Hall of Fame file. He described Brown as having, “plenty of nerve, ability, and willingness to work under any conditions. He was charitable and friendly to his foes.”

Three Finger Brown’s handicap became and handicap for opposing players en route to becoming one of the greatest pitchers in Major League history.

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Chicago Cubs: The Heroes of Wrigley Series presents Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown

The Chicago Cubs hurler’s handicap became a handicap for opposing players en route to becoming one of greatest pitchers of the Deadball Era and of All-Time.

Chicago Cubs: From the coal mines to the Friendly Confines

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