Schuster: Two great days: Lowly 1917 Browns throw no-hitters on consecutive days

From SABR member Joe Schuster at The National Pastime Museum on April 4, 2018:

Throughout their history, the St. Louis Browns gave their fans little to cheer about. In their years in St. Louis (1902–1953), they won one pennant, in 1944. In all, over those years they finished in the first division only 13 times but finished last or next-to-last 22 times. (The Browns moved to Baltimore for 1954, becoming the Orioles.)

However, early in 1917, two of their pitchers—Ernie Koob and Bob Groom—accomplished something no other teammates have to this point, even a century later: They threw no-hit games on successive days. Making it even more noteworthy, the duo turned in their gems against the Chicago White Sox, who won the World Series that year.

Prior to these games, neither pitcher seemed a candidate for a singular historical accomplishment. While Groom, who was 32, had turned in one stellar season in 1912 with the Washington Senators, winning 24 games, most of his appearances on leader boards during his career were for categories pitchers tried to avoid. Twice before that season he led the league in losses (he also led the league in losses in 1917). Six times he ranked among the top 10 in earned runs and in four seasons among the top 10 for walks. As for Koob, then 24, his only appearances on leader boards had come his rookie season when he ranked among the top 10 in wild pitches and hit-by-pitch.

Read the full article here: https://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/two-great-days-lowly-1917-browns-throw-no-hitters-consecutive-days



Originally published: April 4, 2018. Last Updated: April 4, 2018.