Jumbo Brown

Walter George Brown

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 295 lb.

• Debut August 26, 1925
• Final Game August 27, 1941
• Born April 30, 1907 in Greene, RI USA
• Died October 2, 1966 in Freeport, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

“Sometimes a relief pitcher will land a win he hardly deserves, and then again he’ll go a long time without getting a nibble of notice... It’s like fishing. I enjoy fishing, next best to baseball, and when you’re out with a line in a boat you can’t tell when you’re going to make a big strike, or get nothing.” - Jumbo Brown, 1940

Pitcher Jumbo Brown was, according to traditional sources, the heaviest player ever to play Major League Baseball, although recent players such as Jonathan Broxton, Jumbo Diaz and the late Walter Young have since been listed with a higher weight. A reliever, Jumbo did not become a valued asset until he joined the New York Giants as a top reliever for the last four years of his career (1938 to 1941). Having never made more than 21 appearances prior to 1938, Jumbo trotted out an average of 37 games in this span and is recognized as the NL saves leader in both 1940 (7) and 1941 (8). Interestingly, in that period, his saves total increased each successive year, from 5 to 6 to 7 to 8 in his swan song.

With Jumbo's size, he never stole a base or attempted to in his major league career. But... he did hit a triple once: as a member of the Cleveland Indians, he connected against Rube Walberg of the Philadelphia Athletics on May 16, 1928.

When Brown broke into major league ball, he was the youngest player in the senior circuit (a spry 18). He played on three pennant-winning teams: the New York Yankees of 1932 and 1936 and the New York Giants in 1937, but he never appeared in the World Series.

Jumbo checked out in 1966, at the age of 59, from congestive heart failure.

Notable Achievements

• 2-time NL Saves Leader (1940 & 1941)
• Won two World Series with the New York Yankees (1932 & 1936); he played in neither World Series).

Related Sites

• Jumbo Brown at the SABR Bio Project
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Jumbo Brown