Harry Brecheen

Information about Harry Brecheen

Harry Brecheen
Pitcher
Batted: LeftThrew: Left
MLB Debut
April 22, 1940 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Final game
September 13, 1953 for the St. Louis Browns
Career Statistics
Pitching Record    133-92
Earned run average    2.92
Strikeouts    901
Teams
Career Highlights and Awards
Harry David Brecheen (October 14 1914 - January 17 2004), nicknamed "The Cat," was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the St. Louis Cardinals. In the late 1940s he was among the team's stars, becoming the first lefthander ever to win three games in a single World Series in 1946 and later leading the National League in several categories in 1948. His career World Series earned run average of 0.83 was a major league record from 1946 to 1976. From 1951 to 1971 he held the Cardinals franchise record for career strikeouts by a lefthander, and he also retired with the fourth-highest fielding percentage among pitchers (.983), then the top mark among lefthanders.

Born in Broken Bow, Oklahoma and nicknamed for his fielding ability, he was acquired by the Cardinals in 1938 after two minor league seasons, but didn't get a chance to start for the team until 1943. Exempted from military service during World War II with a 4-F classification due to a spinal malformation and boyhood ankle injury, he was key to the Cardinals' upset win over the Boston Red Sox in the 1946 World Series. He recorded his finest season in 1948, posting a record of 20-7 and leading the league in ERA (2.24), strikeouts (149) and shutouts (7).

A two-time All-Star, his overall career record was 133 wins and 92 losses, with 901 strikeouts. After breaking Bill Sherdel's club record for career strikeouts by a lefthander in 1951, he held the mark until Steve Carlton surpassed it in 1971. His 25 career shutouts remain the Cardinal record for lefthanders. His career World Series ERA of 0.83 stood as the record (with at least 25 innings) until Jack Billingham broke it in 1976 with a mark of 0.36.

Playing his entire career for St. Louis teams, Brecheen ended his career in 1953 with the St. Louis Browns; it was that team's final season in the city before their move to Baltimore. He won his only start of the 1944 Series, which matched the city's two teams.

Following his playing career, Brecheen remained with the Browns when they became the Baltimore Orioles, and was their pitching coach from 1954 to 1967. He was voted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He died at age 89 in a nursing facility in Bethany, Oklahoma.

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Preceded by
Warren Spahn		National League ERA Champion
1948		Succeeded by
Dave Koslo
Preceded by
Ewell Blackwell		National League Strikeout Champion
1948		Succeeded by
Warren Spahn
 •  • [ e]
St. Louis Cardinals 1944 World Series roster
1 Whitey Kurowski | 3 Emil Verban | 4 Marty Marion | 5 Ray Sanders | 6 Stan Musial | 7 George Fallon | 8 Danny Litwhiler | 9 Debs Garms | 11 Freddy Schmidt | 12 Johnny Hopp | 13 Mort Cooper | 15 Walker Cooper | 16 Ken O'Dea | 17 Augie Bergamo | 20 Blix Donnelly | 21 Max Lanier | 27 Bud Byerly | 28 Ted Wilks | 29 Al Jurisich | 31 Harry Brecheen
Manager: Billy Southworth
 •  • [ e]
St. Louis Cardinals 1946 World Series roster
1 Whitey Kurowski | 2 Red Schoendienst | 4 Marty Marion | 5 Harry Walker | 6 Stan Musial | 7 Nippy Jones | 8 Terry Moore | 9 Enos Slaughter | 11 Howie Pollet | 15 Dick Sisler | 17 Joe Garagiola | 18 Del Rice | 19 Erv Dusak | 20 Red Munger | 22 Murry Dickson | 27 Johnny Beazley | 28 Ted Wilks | 31 Harry Brecheen | 36 Al Brazle
Manager: Eddie Dyer
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win (denoted W) is generally credited to the pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when they last took the lead. A starting pitcher must generally complete five innings to earn a win.
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strikeout or strike out (denoted by SO or K) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and/or incompetence on the part of the batter, although for power hitters it
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pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to either make contact with it or draw a walk.
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Sport Baseball
Founded 1876
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St. Louis Cardinals Established 1882

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Major league affiliations
  • National League (1892–present)
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win (denoted W) is generally credited to the pitcher for the winning team who was in the game when they last took the lead. A starting pitcher must generally complete five innings to earn a win.
..... Click the link for more information.
World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball and the culmination of the sport's postseason each October. Since the Series takes place in mid-autumn, sportswriters many years ago dubbed the event the "Fall Classic". The St.
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