Last Living Member of Historic 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers Team Dies at 97
Tommy Brown, a Brooklyn native and standout from the ‘Boys of Summer’-era Dodgers who also played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, passed away Wednesday, as reported by Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer.
He was 97 years old.
Brown was the last surviving member of the historic 1947 Dodgers team that broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier.
Brown developed pneumonia while recovering from a fall, according to Lindbergh. He represented the final connection to the historic 1947 Dodgers team, which made history when Jackie Robinson became the first Black player to compete in Major League Baseball during the 20th century.
While Brown wasn’t one of the stars on that Brooklyn Dodgers team, he did have a role, batting .237 with 15 home runs and 88 RBIs over parts of seven seasons with his hometown team, a tenure interrupted by World War II.
In 1944, at just 16 years and seven months old, Tommy Brown became the youngest position player in Major League Baseball history. Earlier that same year, Joe Nuxhall debuted as a pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds at 15 years and 10 months, holding the distinction of being the youngest player ever to appear in a major league game.
Brown wrapped up his rookie season in 1944 after appearing in 46 games, finishing with a .164 batting average (24-for-126) with four doubles and eight RBIs. In 1945, he saw more action, playing in 57 games and posting a .245 average over 196 plate appearances.
On August 20, 1945, Brown made history as the youngest player to hit a major league home run, connecting off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Preacher Roe at Ebbets Field. He spent the entirety of 1946 serving in the military.
After being discharged from the Army in 1947, Brown joined the Dodgers’ spring training camp and attempted to transition to first base, having previously played shortstop and right field before the war. When Brown didn’t secure the position, the role was awarded to Jackie Robinson.
In June 1951, Brooklyn traded Brown to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he played in 96 games over the following two seasons. He concluded his major league career with the Chicago Cubs during the 1952-53 seasons.
After retiring from playing baseball in 1958, Brown moved to Nashville, Tenn., and worked at the Ford Glass Plant for 35 years before retiring in 1993.
He is survived by his wife, four children, seven grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and more!
