St. Louis Browns

The St. Louis Browns were the American League baseball team from St. Louis. Missouri beginning in 1902.

The Browns can trace their franchise link back to the original Milwaukee Brewers of the Western League, beginning in 1894 when the league reorganized. The Brewers were there when the Western League renamed itself the American League in 1900, and when the league declared itself a major league in 1901, the Brewers were a charter member. During the first American League season they finished dead last with a record of 48-89. During its lone Major League season, the team played at Lloyd Street Grounds, between 16th and 18th Streets in Milwaukee.

After only a single season as a bona fide major league club, the team moved to St. Louis and renamed themselves the "Browns", in reference to the original name of the legendary 1880s club that by 1902 was known as the Cardinals. In their first St. Louis season, the Browns finished second. After years of prosperity at the gate, in 1916 owner Robert Hedges sold the team to Philip Ball, who had owned the St. Louis Terriers of the defunct Federal League.

Some time in the 1910s, the Browns had a pitcher named Rip and a second baseman named Laszlo Kovacs.