My favorite scene in the movie Field of Dreams is when Kevin Costner's character gets to play a game of catch with his deceased father. I would like to dedicate this blog to the memory of my father, Raymond Robert Blake, who adored Harry Brecheen. Dad, this is the game of catch I never got to have with you.
I used to brag up the greatness of my hero Carl Yastrzemski to my father, which one day caused this reaction in him: he told me about a player named Harry "The Cat" Brecheen, who to his mind was the greatest pitcher he had ever seen, and possibly the greatest ballplayer who had ever lived. Yes, he even placed him above Ted Williams, who I had always assumed was his hero. But no. It was somebody nicknamed The Cat. Now just who was this guy? He was on none of my baseball cards, and I found no mentions of him in the sports pages. He certainly wasn't in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Harry Brecheen was born October 14, 1914, in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. He was to become a star pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He got the nickname "The Cat" for his ability to cover bunts. They seldom outfoxed him. He was the key to the Cardinals upset win over the Red Sox in the 1946 World Series, winning 3 games. He held Ted Williams to a .200 batting average, 1 RBI and no extra base hits. This was when Ted developed his admiration for The Cat. Harry Carey interviewed this other Harry after Game 7, and he was his usual modest self, calling their victory a team effort. His won/lost record that year was a deceptive 15-15, because his teammates could not supply the runs needed for the wins. Brecheen held many Cardinals club records for many years, and still holds the career shutout record (25) for lefthanders. He was an All Star in 1947 and 1948. He also won a World Series ring in 1944, and one last time in 1966 as a pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles (a position he held for 14 years). The experts say he had the 8th best screwball of all time.
The Cat had a lifetime won/lost record of 133-92, and a 2.92 ERA over 11 seasons. His World Series ERA of 0.83 stood as a record for 30 years. His lifetime fielding percentage was .983 and he only committed 8 errors in his entire career.
He had his best season in 1948, when he went 20-7 with a 2.24 ERA. He led the National League with 7 shutouts and 149 strikeouts while completing 21 of 30 starts. He gave a lot of credit for inspiration to pitcher Carl Hubbell, another tantalizing screwball artist who earned his place in the Hall of Fame in 1947. "Hubbell was my favorite pitcher because he was lefthanded like me." The Cat watched him play in many post season exhibition games in Oklahoma. To me, the great mystery is why Mr. Brecheen was never voted into the Hall of Fame.
Harry "The Cat" Brecheen died on January 17, 2004, at a nursing facility in Bethany, Oklahoma, at age 89. His wife, Vera, predeceased him by several years. They had 62 years together. He remained a fan of the game until the end, catching several games on TV each season.
I don't know if my father followed Harry's career and post-baseball life. I think he would have been pleased that The Cat outlived him by several years.
Long live the fame of Harry "The Cat' Brecheen!!!
