Joe Brown (utility player)

Joseph E. Brown (April 4, 1859 – June 28, 1888) was a Canadian pitcher/utility player in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Stockings and Baltimore Orioles.

Joe Brown
Pitcher/Outfielder
Born: (1859-04-04)April 4, 1859
Canada
Died: June 28, 1888(1888-06-28) (aged 29)
Warren, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Unknown
Threw: Unknown
MLB debut
August 16, 1884, for the Chicago White Stockings
Last MLB appearance
July 16, 1885, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Win–loss record4–6
Earned run average5.11
Strikeouts36
Batting average.200
Home runs0
Runs batted in3
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

It was relatively common in the 19th century for baseball teams to use a reserve fielder as a pitcher, and this appears to be true in Brown's case. He appeared in 15 games for the 1884 Cubs (debuting August 16), pitching in seven of those games, six as a starter. His mark that season was 4–2 with a 4.68 ERA. He also played center field, right field, first baseman, and catcher for the Cubs that season, hitting .213 with 3 RBI in 61 trips to the plate.

Brown found himself with the American Association's Orioles in the 1886 season in a similar role for a brief period of time. He pitched in four games, completing and losing each one for a record of 0–4 and an ERA of 5.68. He also appeared in one game as a second baseman. Brown was 3-for-19 at the plate in 1886 to finish his career with a batting average of exactly .200 (16-for-80).

Brown died on June 28, 1888, in Warren, Pennsylvania, aged just 29.

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