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Near Nyesville in Parke County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Birthplace of Mordecai Brown

— " Three Finger Brown " —

 
 
Full View - - Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Courtesy:: Marilyn S. Wolf, September 23, 2012
1. Full View - - Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker
Inscription.

Front

Birthplace of Mordecai Brown

Born in this Mining Community of Nyesville, Indiana.

The first Indiana player inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame

His 14 year Major League career Boast the following Records:

Total Games —————– 481
Games Started —————332
Games Completed ———–271
Games Won —————– 239
Games Lost ——————131
Percentage —————— .653
Innings Pitched ————3,172
Base On Balls —————–673
Strike Outs ————— 1,382
Shut-Outs ——————— 58
Earned Run Avg. ———– 2.03

A farm accident mangling his right hand at age 7 was the
cause for his Major League Nickname:
“Three Finger Brown”

Mordecai’s 1911 contract with the Chicago Cubs was
$ 7,000.00

Major League Baseball Career 1903 ——— 1916

Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
Cooperstown, New York ––
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1949

“Three Finger”
Mordecai P. Brown
Oct. 19, 1876 —— Feb. 4, 1948

St. Louis Cardinals 1903 — 1904
Chicago Cubs 1905 — 1916

Obverse Side

“Three Finger”
Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown
1876 — 1948


First Indiana baseball player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Born to Peter and Lula Day Brown, immigrants of English and Welsh descent, in the coal mining community of Nyesville, Indiana. Mort, as his family and friends called him, was a victim of an accident at age 7. He caught his right hand in a corn grinder on his uncle’s farm losing his forefinger, part of his little finger and mangling his middle finger. This accident was the cause of his Major League Nickname.

Mordecai played third base and other positions in nearby communities known as “Minor Brown”. Earning his way to the Big Leagues at age 19 Mordecai first played with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1903. The condition of his twisted and mangled hand enabled him to throw a spin curve with a nasty break. From this Mordecai was known as “Three Finger Brown.”

Mordecai was traded after his Rookie Year to the Chicago Cubs. The next 9 years he was one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball during the “Tinker to
Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Courtesy:: Marilyn S. Wolf, September 23, 2012
2. Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker
Evers to Chance” era. He was the first to pitch 4 straight shut-outs in 1908. Ty Cobb called Brown’s curve “the most devastating pitch I ever faced.”

Mordecai’s baseball career embraced such records as:
— Averaged 20 or more wins per season
— Six times posted ERA’s under 2.00 including a 1.04 second best of All Time in 1906
— Today still holds the Chicago Cub ERA record of 1.80
— Cubs won 4 Pennants in 5 seasons with Brown pitching
— Won 5 World Series Games
— Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949

The legendary Mordecai Brown and his wife Sarah are buried in Roselawn Cemetery, Terre Haute, Indiana.

This memorial dedicated and erected to the memory of
“Three Finger Brown”
July 9, 1994
through generosity of friends and neighbors with guidance and inspiration of his Great Nephew
Fred Massey.

 
Erected 1994 by Generosity of Friends and Neighbors, Guidance and Inspiration of His Great Nephew Fred Massey.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1944.
 
Location. 39° 47.306′ N, 87° 10.135′ W. Marker is near Nyesville, Indiana, in Parke County. Marker is on Nyesville Road
Obverse Side - - Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Courtesy:: Marilyn S. Wolf, September 23, 2012
3. Obverse Side - - Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker
north of County Road 182, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rockville IN 47872, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Batty Mine Location (approx. ¼ mile away); First Church Built in Parke County Indiana (approx. 1.1 miles away); Site Of Shiloh Presbyterian Church (approx. 1.1 miles away); State Sanatorium Covered Bridge (approx. 1.3 miles away); Gov. Joseph A. Wright (approx. 2.7 miles away); Rockville Cemetery (approx. 3.4 miles away); 1883 Railroad Depot (approx. 3.4 miles away); Old 1832 Jail (approx. 3.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nyesville.
 
Also see . . .  Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown - Official Website ::. (Submitted on September 25, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)
 
Wide View - - Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Courtesy:: Marilyn S. Wolf, September 23, 2012
4. Wide View - - Birthplace of Mordecai Brown Marker
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 25, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 1,001 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 25, 2012, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.

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Apr. 26, 2024