OT: Tom Browning Dead at 62

[RUhasarrived]

The Reds' lefthander of the 80's has passed.

He came to closest of all of the perfect game pitchers to have thrown two of them,losing his second attempt on 9th inning double by Phillies' shortstop,Dickie Thon.

 

[S.W.A.I.N]

The Reds' lefthander of the 80's has passed.

He came to closest of all of the perfect game pitchers to have thrown two of them,losing his second attempt on 9th inning double by Phillies' shortstop,Dickie Thon.

RIP. Late 80’s/early 90’s w him, Dibble, Charlton, Randy Myers (Nasty Boys) were a lot of fun to watch. Heck, Larkin, Eric Davis, Sabo on O was pretty good too. They’ve been down for so long…

 

[RUhasarrived]

Just checked.
Zap hit .400 against him,singling twice in 5 AB's.

 

[wicker]

Wow! That hits home.
Little guy. Baseball Reference lists him at 5"8", 155. Proves that you don't need to throw 100mph to be in the big leagues.
Came to the Padres from the Cards in a trade for Union's own Al Santorini.
R.I.P.

Freddie Norman?

 

[Colbert17!]

Freddie Norman?

Wow!!! You're right. How did I confuse those two????? I'm reading Tom Browning but thinking Freddie Norman
I'm going to hit that delete button!!!!!!

 

[RUforJERSEY]

Wasn't he the guy who once broke his arm throwing a pitch?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Dave Dravecky?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I do remember this…

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sp...-famous-visit-to-wrigley-rooftop/69741968007/

 

[zappaa]

Tom Browning was 6-1 and a thick bodied 200 pounds

 

[zappaa]

Dave Dravecky?

He did so much harm to his arm and circulatory system his entire left arm and part of his shoulder was amputated.
Great guy

 

[RUforJERSEY]

Dave Dravecky?

Aaaah!

 

[RUPete]

He did so much harm to his arm and circulatory system his entire left arm and part of his shoulder was amputated.
Great guy

That was horrible to see the way he just collapsed on the mound.

 

[RUBubba]

Was Tom Browning the one that could only throw the ball about 83 mph with a tail wind? Or am I thinking of another Reds pitcher?

 

[RUforJERSEY]

Turns out I was right about Browning also.


Browning suffered a fractured humerus bone in his left arm while pitching for the Reds at San Diego on May 9, 1994, and he missed the rest of the strike-shortened season. He attempted a comeback in 1995 with the Royals but was forced into retirement after only two starts.

 

[zappaa]

Turns out I was right about Browning also.


Browning suffered a fractured humerus bone in his left arm while pitching for the Reds at San Diego on May 9, 1994, and he missed the rest of the strike-shortened season. He attempted a comeback in 1995 with the Royals but was forced into retirement after only two starts.

There have been thousands of flame throwing minor leaguer’s with big league arms who’ve have catastrophic arm injuries they can’t recover from.
Most of them can tell you the day and pitch it was when they knew their career was about to change.
Ask Bobby Brownlie when he hurt his arm…guaranteed he gives you an exact date and time.
Bobby would have been a 1 or 2 starter in Big leagues for 10 years if healthy

 

[D Able_rivals]

Was Tom Browning the one that could only throw the ball about 83 mph with a tail wind? Or am I thinking of another Reds pitcher?

 

[Mr_Twister]

Shared an office at Bell Labs with a fellow who played high school hoops with Browning in upstate New York.

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

RIP. Late 80’s/early 90’s w him, Dibble, Charlton, Randy Myers (Nasty Boys) were a lot of fun to watch. Heck, Larkin, Eric Davis, Sabo on O was pretty good too. They’ve been down for so long…

One of my all-time favorite SI covers....

 

[zappaa]

That’s what we saw 86 to 88, 91 or 92 was bringing it and at the top of velocity scale.
Ryan, Lee Smith, JR, Mario Soto, Gooden were anomalies you really couldn’t prepare for.
Now it’s what they face every day, all game long

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

That’s what we saw 86 to 88, 91 or 92 was bringing it and at the top of velocity scale.
Ryan, Lee Smith, JR, Mario Soto, Gooden were anomalies you really couldn’t prepare for.
Now it’s what they face every day, all game long

I've heard today's speed guns are more advanced and provide more accurate reads, leading to +3-5 mph higher average pitch speeds. So an 88-92 mph from the '70s-'90's would be in the 92-96mph using current technology. Does that seem about right?

 

[zappaa]

I've heard today's speed guns are more advanced and provide more accurate reads, leading to +3-5 mph higher average pitch speeds. So an 88-92 mph from the '70s-'90's would be in the 92-96mph using current technology. Does that seem about right?

I’ve talked to Goose and Guidry about the guns they had compared to today and they say the same thing.
Gator would be in the low 90s and Goose would be in the mid 90s.
+3 to 5

 

[RU_DIO]

One of my all-time favorite SI covers....

I was working for Sweet Lou when he won it all that year with the Reds.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Has the baseball itself remained exactly the same through the years? Stitching material, number of stitches, surface material, size, mud, stuffing, etc?

 

[RUBubba]

There also used to be two types of guns. One picked up the ball out of the pitchers hand and one closer to the plate. There was a 2-3 mph difference.

 

[RUaMoose_rivals]

Was Tom Browning the one that could only throw the ball about 83 mph with a tail wind? Or am I thinking of another Reds pitcher?

That’s him. “Crafty” I think the term is. I remember his perfect game against Dodgers in ‘88. Also remember him joining the bleachers at Wrigley Field during a game. Don’t remember the circumstances. Think he had to leave for some personal reason then came back. He also won a game during the 1990 WS. Game 3 iirc. RIP Tom