Earl Brown (minors02)

Earl Brown

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 172 lb.

• Born January 4, 1944 in Coushatta, LA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Earl Brown played two seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. In 1964, he hit .218 in 90 games for the Grand Forks Chiefs of the Northern League and in 1965, he hit .129 in 31 games between the California League's Santa Barbara Dodgers and the Northwest League's Salem Dodgers. It was obvious he would never reach the majors, and he retired and returned to Los Angeles, CA to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

However, it was in his part-time job as a playground supervisor in southwest LA that Earl had the most impact. He coached many youth teams composed of players from underprivileged backgrounds, and nursed a number of future major league players, including brothers Eddie Murray and Rich Murray, Ozzie Smith, Chet Lemon, Darryl Strawberry, Eric Davis and Chris Brown, all of whom he coached when they were pre-teens. He also worked as a scout for the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds.

Further Reading

• Rick Obran: "The Sandlot Mentors of Los Angeles", in Jean Hastings Ardell and Andy McCue, ed.: Endless Seasons: Baseball in Southern California, The National Pastime, SABR, Number 41, 2011, pp. 23-27.