Tom Browning Found Dead

[mth123]

RIP.

[Tuff Nut]

Another favorite. RIP Tom Perfect

[RiverRat13]

“What a view, this is what baseball is all about,” he said. “”The people were great. They offered me beer and hot dogs, but I told ‘em I couldn’t take any. They left me alone after that so I could enjoy the game.

“Some people didn’t believe I was a player until I took the warmup off,” he added. “A fine? I don’t care. I’ve been reprimanded before. I had fun today. I thought it would be real cool up there and it was a nice idea to give the guys a laugh.”

https://www.daytondailynews.com/spor...P73757CMY5T7E/

[cumberlandreds]

One of the biggest games I remember Browning pitching was game 2 of the 1990 NLCS. The Reds were down 1 game to none and was the first time all season they had been behind. Browning started game two against Doug Drabek, who was an excellent pitcher for that Pirate team. Browning gave the Reds six sterling innings before giving way to the nasty boys to clamped down a tough 2-1 victory. Without Browning's excellent performance the Reds would have gone down 2-0 in the series and would have been tough to overcome. I remember it being just a very clutch performance when that team needed it the most. Just typical of Browning to come up with his best when needed the most.


https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/...050CIN1990.htm

[cincinnati chili]

My enduring memory of Tom Browning is hitters furious at themselves and shaking their heads on the way back to the dugout because they couldn't hit him. He was like a Deadball Era throwback, a guy who learned something about pitching the rest of the world forgot.

I came here to post almost exactly the same thing. I remember him this way too. I remember Jim Leyland, then the Pirates’ manager getting interviewed soon after the Reds eliminated his team from the NLCS. He had just addressed his losing team and had clearly been crying. A reporter asked him what turned the series, and he said it was his team’s failure to get to Tom Browning in Game 2 despite him not having good stuff. Van Slyke/Bonds/Bonilla went 2 for 12 against him in that game, and the Reds won 2-1. Everybody thought they could hit him, and yet he consistently was a solid league-average or slightly more effective pitcher. He was a testament to the benefits of working fast and throwing strikes. He spent less total time on the mound in a 39-start year than most pitchers do in a 29-start year which meant he could start every fourth game without amassing the stress of someone who takes forever between pitches.

[HokieRed]

What Browning learned was how to get guys out with high stuff, generating fly ball outs. We'd be scared to death to put him out there now with his fly ball rates.

[Sassy Sal]

I hope he didn't suffer and maybe happened in his sleep. I didn't know his wife passed earlier on in the year. This has to be just awful for the kids. You will be missed Tom. The 1990 team was in the prime of my life and I will never forget Tom Browning as one of the Reds greats.

[TexasRedsFan]

2007 was my first visit to GABP and I walked into an elevator to go down from the top level. A few other people came in after me, one of which was a slightly grey haired stocky man who looked familiar. I happened to notice that the label on the outside of a folder he was carrying said "Tom and Katie Browning". I looked again and then recognized him. I didn't say anything (I'm not sure I was even supposed to be in that elevator), but it was really cool to realize I was briefly in the presence of a Reds legend.

I had never heard that story of him going up on the building across from Wrigley to watch the game. Hilarious. Sad to lose not only a great pitcher, but a uniquely charming character as well.

[icehole3]

On Thom's chatterbox podcast, him and Tracy discuss Tom was struggling with diabetes for a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT6VkfPmF3w

[Ky Fried Redleg]

Tom was one of those pitchers back in the day that , in my youthful ignorance, I convinced myself I could step in against and make contact. God, was I stupid !!! That man could make even the best Major League hitters look foolish. RIP, Mr. Browning.

[Bill]

I hate seeing any of the old ball players pass, but Tom was not that old and was one of my faves. Always looked forward to Browning's turn on the mound coming around. Very sad news. Thanks to others for sharing their stories.

[Kingspoint]

Hopefully he gets to spend eternity here. It's pretty close to heaven in my mind! RIP

This is how I'll always remember him.

[Kingspoint]

Gaurantee you Lou is shedding a tear today.

[Ron Madden]

Tom Browning was one of us.

Browning was genuine. He was a regular guy who saw himself as no more important than anyone else, despite the World Series ring, the perfect game and the big-league riches

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb...ns/ar-AA15uah6

[George Foster]

Godspeed, a true character who was the last of a dying breed (screwball pitcher) and a man who will always be remembered for one game and that he was perfect in that game.

I know most will remember Browning's perfect game or his win in the WS. Those are not his best wins. The most important win of his career was game 2 of the NLCS. Jim Leyland had the Cy Young winner in Doug Drabek. Everyone assumed he would start against Jose Rijo in game 1. Leyland started Bob Walk in game 1 to try and assure a split in Cincinnati. Bob Walk won game 1. Pittsburgh in the driver's seat with the Cy Young winner starting game 2 against Tom Browning. Tom Browning, pitching the most important game of the year for the Reds threw an 8 inning gem giving up just 1 run. Reds won 2-1. Drabek threw a complete game in the loss. We don't beat the Pirates going to Pittsburgh down 0-2. Game 2, 1990 NLCS Tom Browning's best and most important win as a Cincinnati Red. Thank you for a glorious year. R.I.P.