Willard “Homerun” Brown Game Used Glove

Willard “Homerun” Brown Game Used Glove (c. 1950’s)

Biz Mackey was born in 1897 in Eagle Pass, Texas. Mackey is considered by many as the best defensive catcher of all time, black or white. Roy Campanella credits Mackey with making him a Major League catcher.  Biz was also an outstanding hitter. He had a lifetime Negro League batting average of .335 and a .326 batting average against Major League competition.  In his prime, he was one of the best players in Negro League baseball. While playing for Hilldale of the Eastern Colored League from 1923 to 1931, he hit .423, .337, .350, .327, .315, 327, .337, .400 and .376. Mackey also found success as a manager by leading the Newark Eagles to a world’s championship in 1946 over the Kansas City Monarchs.

Willard "Homerun" Brown - Santurce Canjeros

During his playing career, Willard Brown played professional ball during the regular season with:


 


Monroe Monarchs            1934                                                                        (Negro Southern League)


Kansas City Monarchs     1935-1943, 1946-1952 and 1958-1960              (Negro American League)


Nuevo Laredo                   1940                                                                       (Mexican League)


Puebla                                1941                                                                        (Mexican league)


St. Louis Browns               1947                                                                        (Major League baseball – American league)


Ottawa                                1950                                                                        (Border League)


Escogido                            1951-1952                                                               (Dominican League)


Jalisco                                 1951                                                                         (Mexican League)


Dallas Eagles                     1953-1954                                                               (Texas League)


Houston Buffaloes            1954-1955                                                               (Texas League)


Austin                                  1956                                                                         (Texas League)


San Antonio Missions       1956                                                                         (Texas League)


Tulsa                                    1956                                                                        (Texas League)


Topeka                                 1956                                                                       (Western League)

During the off season, Willard played for numerous barnstorming teams and played winter league ball. Brown played one season of winter league ball in Cuba (1937-1938) and ten seasons of winter league ball in Puerto Rico from 1941 to 1957. Nine of his seasons in Puerto Rico were with Santurce. He won the triple crown twice in Puerto Rico, 1947-48  (27 homeruns, 86 runs batted in and .432 batting average) and 1949-50 ( 16 homeruns, 97 runs batted in and .353 batting average). His 27 homeruns in the 1947-48 season still stands as the all-time number of homeruns in one season. He also won the Puerto Rican Winter League batting title for a third time in 1946-47 season with a .390 batting average.


Willard Brown passed away in 1996 in Houston, Texas with his best friend and former Negro League player Bill Beverly at his bedside. Brown was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

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