James Brown
Left Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records
James Brown was a left fielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Newark Eagles and the Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns. In 76 career games, he hit .259 with 59 hits, 1 home runs, and 21 RBI. He also pitched in 23 games, going 6-5 with a 5.38 ERA. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 273.5.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Left Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 180 lb
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 76 | 228 | 29 | 59 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 11 | 2 | .259 | .293 | .351 | .644 | -308 |
Career AVG .259 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .293 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 11.7% below league average.
Career SLG .351 vs. league average .367 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .644 vs. league average .699 across their career seasons — 7.9% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | NE | NN2 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .158 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1941 | NE | NN2 | 25 | 71 | 11 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 1 | .324 | .262 (+24%) | .332 (+11%) | .373 (+2%) | .705 (+6%) | 74.4 |
| 1942 | NE | NN2 | 26 | 92 | 12 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | .185 | .253 (-27%) | .323 (-32%) | .349 (-19%) | .672 (-25%) | -382.2 |
| 1943 | NE | NN2 | 11 | 39 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .359 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1947 | CIC | NAL | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 76 | 228 | 29 | 59 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 11 | 2 | .259 | — | — | — | — | -308 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | NE | NN2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 45.0 | 35 | 16 | 23 | 22 | 3.20 | 4.28 (+25%) | -57.5 |
| 1941 | NE | NN2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 39.0 | 53 | 35 | 16 | 18 | 8.08 | 3.94 (-105%) | 330.9 |
| 1942 | NE | NN2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.2 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4.05 | — | 0.0 |
| 1943 | NE | NN2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3.60 | — | 0.0 |
| 1947 | CIC | NAL | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.2 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6.52 | 3.97 (-64%) | 0.0 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 6 | 5 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 105.1 | 108 | 63 | 51 | 48 | 5.38 | — | 273 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (92 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 33 | 76 | 15 | 24 | 1 | 7 | .316 |
| Away | 37 | 103 | 12 | 32 | 0 | 9 | .311 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 7 | 39.2 | 26 | 5 | 23 | 8 | 1.13 |
| Away | 15 | 59.0 | 60 | 1 | 23 | 21 | 0.15 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947-07-04 | IN9 | KCM | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-06-26 | IN9 | CVB | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-06-25 | IN9 | CVB | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-06-23 | IN9 | CVB | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-06-10 | IN9 | KCM | L | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-06-08 | IN9 | KCM | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-06-13 | NW2 | BLG | W | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-06-12 | NW2 | BLG | L | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-06-11 | NW2 | BLG | W | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-06-10 | NW2 | PH5 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947-06-26 | IN9 | CVB | — | 4.0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1947-06-25 | IN9 | CVB | — | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1947-06-23 | IN9 | CVB | — | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-06-10 | IN9 | KCM | L | 8.0 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1941-08-22 | NW2 | HOM | W | 9.0 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 1941-08-12 | NW2 | HOM | L | 8.0 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| 1941-08-08 | NW2 | NY6 | — | 4.2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1941-07-25 | NW2 | BLG | — | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941-07-18 | NW2 | BLG | — | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941-06-30 | NW2 | BLG | W | 9.0 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 23 |
| Left Field | 29 |
| Center Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 16 |
James Brown: the record in brief
James Brown's record on this page is drawn from the season tables, which run from 1939 to 1947. Brown played for the Newark Eagles (1939 through 1943) and the Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns (1947). Brown, born on May 14, 1919, in Scotland County, NC, USA, is listed as a left fielder and threw right-handed and batted left-handed. The bio gives 6 feet, 0 inches and 180 pounds.
Across 76 games at the plate, Brown's career line reads 59 hits in 228 at bats for a .259 average, along with 1 home run and 21 RBI. Brown got on base at a .293 rate and slugged .351 (.644 OPS). Brown hit .259 while the league hit .262 over the same span, a figure close to average. The OPS comparison is .644 to a league .699, 7.9% below average. No season topped the 23 hits of 1941. In 1941, a season of regular play, Brown hit .324 while the league hit .262.
Frequently Asked Questions about James Brown
- Was James Brown a pitcher?
- Both. James Brown pitched in 23 games, going 6-5 with a 5.38 ERA, but spent most of his career as a Left Fielder.
- How many home runs did James Brown hit?
- James Brown hit 1 career home run with 59 hits.
- What teams did James Brown play for?
- James Brown played for 2 teams: the Newark Eagles (1939, 1941–1943) and the Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns (1947).
- What were James Brown's career stats?
- In 76 games, James Brown had 59 hits, 1 home runs, 21 RBI, 29 runs, and 4 stolen bases, with a .259 batting average. As a pitcher, in 23 games, he went 6-5 with a 5.38 ERA, 48 strikeouts, and 105.1 innings pitched.
- What position did James Brown play?
- James Brown played primarily as a left fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was James Brown and how much did he weigh?
- James Brown was listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did James Brown hit each season?
- James Brown's home runs by season: 0 in 1939, 0 in 1941, 1 in 1942, 0 in 1943, and 0 in 1947. His most in one season was 1, in 1942.
- What was James Brown's career batting average?
- James Brown batted .259 over his career, with 59 hits in 228 at bats.
- How many RBI did James Brown have?
- James Brown drove in 21 runs in his career.
- What was James Brown's career ERA?
- James Brown finished with a 5.38 career ERA, going 6-5 with 48 strikeouts.
- Is James Brown in the Hall of Fame?
- No. James Brown has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.