The Story of Willard "Home Run" Brown | Featuring the Late Willard Brown
09/07/23 • 40 min
He was Ese Hombre. He was Sunny. He was Home Run Brown. He was Special Services for the US Army at the invasion of Normandy. And he was the Negro Leagues' greatest power hitter of the 1940's.
Meet Willard Brown, through the stories of Bob Kendrick and the archived voice of Brown himself. Hear how the late Hall of Famer planned to be a Kansas City Monarch from an early age, and ended up rewriting their record books. Hear about his legendary tape-measure shots, and game-winning heroics, his larger-than-life persona in his career in Latin America, and the joy he brought to European troops hitting home runs for the Army in World War II. And don't miss the story of Willard Brown's historic, yet ill-fated, stint as the first Black player (alongside Hank Thompson) in St. Louis Browns history, and why it paled in comparison the competitive levels of the Negro Leagues.
Interviews with Willard Brown recorded June 22, 1982, and appear courtesy of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter/X - @nlbmprez
Follow Bob Kendrick on Instagram - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
He was Ese Hombre. He was Sunny. He was Home Run Brown. He was Special Services for the US Army at the invasion of Normandy. And he was the Negro Leagues' greatest power hitter of the 1940's.
Meet Willard Brown, through the stories of Bob Kendrick and the archived voice of Brown himself. Hear how the late Hall of Famer planned to be a Kansas City Monarch from an early age, and ended up rewriting their record books. Hear about his legendary tape-measure shots, and game-winning heroics, his larger-than-life persona in his career in Latin America, and the joy he brought to European troops hitting home runs for the Army in World War II. And don't miss the story of Willard Brown's historic, yet ill-fated, stint as the first Black player (alongside Hank Thompson) in St. Louis Browns history, and why it paled in comparison the competitive levels of the Negro Leagues.
Interviews with Willard Brown recorded June 22, 1982, and appear courtesy of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter/X - @nlbmprez
Follow Bob Kendrick on Instagram - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Previous Episode
Cam Perron and Al Holt | The 1948 Birmingham Black Barons
The last Negro Leagues World Series was held in 1948, and one of the teams playing was the Birmingham Black Barons. Why was that '48 squad so special, and how did a young white kid become so involved in preserving the legacy of Black baseball in Birmingham and beyond? Find out as Bob chats with Cam Perron, author and Negro Leagues researcher, along with Al Holt, and former third baseman and outfielder for the Black Barons.
Hear Cam discuss how his interest in the Negro Leagues began in his pre-teens, which has led to friendships with over 100 former players and helping dozens of them secure pensions from Major League Baseball, with the help of Dr. Layton Revel. Cam also talks about the distinct honor of having Hank Aaron, Bob's childhood idol, write the foreword to his 2021 book, "Comeback Season: My Unlikely Story of Friendship with the Greatest Living Negro League Baseball Players."
Hear Al Holt explain why it was always his dream to play for the Black Barons and what it was like to see a 17-year-old rookie named Willie Mays join the team in 1948, in addition to his disappointment in the decline of the Negro Leagues and Industrial League teams contrasted with his joy over the Negro Leagues now being recognized as part of the Major Leagues since 2020.
And Bob, Cam and Al look ahead to the Negro Leagues tribute set to take place at the historic Rickwood Field in June 2024!
Read Cam Perron's book "Comeback Season: My Unlikely Story of Friendship with the Greatest Living Negro League Baseball Players" - BOOKSOUP
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter/X - @nlbmprez
Follow Bob Kendrick on Instagram - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Next Episode
Hall of Game 2023 | Dwight Gooden, Dontrelle Willis, Dave Stewart, Al Downing, Derrick Blue, Greg Proops
Join Bob Kendrick and comedian Greg Proops at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's 2023 "Hall of Game" ceremony, as they celebrate the induction of the The Black Aces - Five of the 15 Black pitchers in AL/NL history to win 20 games in a Major League season, and five men who carried the spirit and style of the Negro Leagues through their whole career.
Hear Bob and Greg sit down with the legendary Al Downing (10:43) to talk about his 17-year career, from the 1961 Yankees and the chase for 61, to being a part of Henry Aaron's historic 715. Enjoy Dave Stewart's stories (24:02) of his friend and teammate, the great Mike Norris. Listen to story upon story about the late Vida Blue (42:52) from his son, Derrick. Laugh and learn with the always-hilarious, never-hittable Dontrelle Willis (59:40) as he remembers his career, and thanks his heroes. And experience the thrill of the career that was Dwight Gooden (1:11:05) with the Doc himself.
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprez
Follow Greg Proops on Twitter - @GregProops
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter/X - @nlbmprez
Follow Bob Kendrick on Instagram - @nlbmprez
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.com
Visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
See and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
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