Ferkovich: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Los Angeles Browns!’
From SABR member Scott Ferkovich at The National Pastime Museum on December 7, 2015:
In an alternate universe, third baseman Brooks Robinson dives for a hot grounder and comes up throwing a strong peg to first, his Browns jersey covered in fresh dirt.
Or Frank Robinson, the greatest Brownie of them all, launches a blast beyond the ivy-covered left-field wall at Wrigley Field, the ball bouncing against the front door of a bungalow on 41st Street.
Or Cal Ripken, having just played in his 2,131st consecutive game, acknowledges the home crowd in a rousing speech: “For all of your support over the years, I want to thank you, the fans of Los Angeles, from the bottom of my heart. This is the greatest place to play.”
Ok, so maybe none of this happened quite this way. But it could have, and almost did.
In one of the greatest “what if” stories in baseball history, the St. Louis Browns, the precursor to today’s Baltimore Orioles, nearly became the Los Angeles Browns.
Read the full article here: http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/ladies-and-gentlemen-los-angeles-browns
Originally published: December 7, 2015. Last Updated: December 7, 2015.