Ollie Brown
Encyclopedia
Ollie Lee "Downtown" Brown (born February 11, 1944 in Tuscaloosa
, Alabama
) was a Major League Baseball
Outfielder
from to . He began his career playing for the San Francisco Giants
and was the first draft choice for the expansion San Diego Padres
in 1968.
Brown both pitched and played the outfield in the minor leagues, and pitched a no-hitter on August 23, 1963 for Decatur of the Midwest League. He was named the MVP of the California League in 1964 while playing for Fresno.
He was best known for his defensive skills, particularly the strength of his throwing arm. He would entertain fans prior to games by throwing the baseball from the far right field corner to third base on the fly.
His older brother, Willie Brown, was a star football running back at USC
, and played for the Los Angeles Rams
and Philadelphia Eagles
of the NFL
. Another brother, Oscar
, was an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves
.
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
) was a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
Outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
from to . He began his career playing for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and was the first draft choice for the expansion San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in 1968.
Brown both pitched and played the outfield in the minor leagues, and pitched a no-hitter on August 23, 1963 for Decatur of the Midwest League. He was named the MVP of the California League in 1964 while playing for Fresno.
He was best known for his defensive skills, particularly the strength of his throwing arm. He would entertain fans prior to games by throwing the baseball from the far right field corner to third base on the fly.
His older brother, Willie Brown, was a star football running back at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, and played for the Los Angeles Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
and Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Another brother, Oscar
Oscar Brown (baseball)
Oscar Lee Brown is a retired American professional baseball player, an outfielder who appeared in all or parts of five seasons for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He is a brother of two other professional athletes: Willie F. Brown, an NFL running back in the 1960s, and "Downtown"...
, was an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
.