1951 St. Louis Browns season
| 1951 St. Louis Browns | |
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| Major League affiliations | |
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| Location | |
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| Results | |
| Record | 52–102 (.338) |
| League place | 8th |
| Other information | |
| Owner(s) | Bill DeWitt, Bill Veeck |
| General manager(s) | Bill DeWitt, Bill Veeck |
| Manager(s) | Zack Taylor |
| Local television | KSD |
| Local radio |
KWK (Buddy Blattner, Howard Williams) |
| < Previous season Next season > | |
The 1951 St. Louis Browns season involved the Browns finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 52 wins, and 102 losses.
Bill Veeck, the manager of St. Louis Browns had Leroy Satchel Paige sign with the Browns July 17, 1951. The owner Veeck immediately announced to everyone that the negro pitcher will begin the following night during the game against the Senators. In his first game back in the major leagues, on July 18, 1951, against the Washington Senators, Paige pitched six innings of shutout baseball, but was roughed up in the seventh, giving up three runs. He ended the season with a 3–4 record and a 4.79 ERA.
Another of Veeck's promotions included the signing of Eddie Gaedel. Gaedel gained immortality in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday, August 19. Weighing just 65 pounds (29 kg), and 3 feet 7 inches (1.09 m) tall, he became the shortest player in the history of the major leagues. He stood 3 feet 4 inches (1.02 m) shorter than Jon Rauch, whose height of 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) made him the tallest person to play in a major league game. He had been secretly signed by the Browns and put in uniform (complete with elf slippers & the number "⅛" on the back) as a publicity stunt.
Gaedel popped out of a papier-mache cake between games of a doubleheader to celebrate the American League's 50th anniversary, and as a Falstaff Brewery promotion. Falstaff, and the fans, had been promised a "festival of surprises" by Veeck. Before the second game got underway, the press agreed that the "midget-in-a-cake" appearance had not been up to Veeck's usual promotional standard. Falstaff personnel, who had been promised national publicity for their participation, were particularly dissatisfied. Keeping the surprise he had in store for the second game to himself, Veeck just meekly apologized.
Gaedel entered the game between the Browns and Detroit Tigers in the first inning as a pinch hitter for leadoff batter Frank Saucier. Immediately, umpire Ed Hurley called for Browns manager Zack Taylor. Veeck and Taylor had the foresight to have a copy of Gaedel's contract on hand, as well as a copy of the Browns' active roster, which had room for Gaedel's addition. Tigers pitcher Bob Cain walked him.Jim Delsing pinch ran for Gaedel, but did not score.
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