Harry David Brecheen (, , October 14, 1914 – January 17, 2004), known as "Harry The Cat", was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Browns. He become the first left-hander to win three games in a single World Series, and the only pitcher to win consecutive World Series games. He later led the National League in several categories in 1948.
Bracheen's career World Series earned run average of 0.83 was a major league record from 1946 to 1976. From 1951 to 1971, he held the Cardinals' franchise record for career strikeouts by a left-hander, and he also retired with the fourth-highest fielding percentage among pitchers (.983), then the top mark among left-handers.
Early life
Born in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, Brecheen was acquired by the Cardinals in 1938 from the Chicago Cubs after two minor league seasons, but made only three relief appearances during 1940 and did not pitch again at the major league level until 1943. He was nicknamed "The Cat" because of his ability to cover bunts.
Career
Brecheen appeared in three games, all in relief, in 1940. Exempted from military service during World War II with a 4-F classification due to a spinal malformation and a boyhood ankle injury, he pitched in the 1943 and 1944 World Series. In 1943, Brecheen pitched in 29 games, starting 13 of them. He went 9–6 with a 2.29 earned run average in 135 innings pitched. The next season, he went 16–5. Brecheen won game four of the 1944 World Series against the St. Louis Browns. He was key to the Cardinals' upset win over the Boston Red Sox in the 1946 World Series as he won three games during the series.
Later life
Following his playing career, Brecheen remained with the Browns when they became the Baltimore Orioles. His playing career ended in 1954 after straining his pitching arm picking up a heavy suitcase, then he stayed with the organization as their pitching coach from 1954 to 1967. While coaching the Orioles pitchers for the next 14 years, the Orioles’ staff ranked in the top four in ERA. He trained many young pitchers including Billy O'Dell, Jack Fisher, Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Steve Barber, Chuck Estrada, Jerry Walker and Milt Pappas.
He was also successful with turning around the careers of veterans. In 1959, he converted 36-year-old Hoyt Wilhelm into a starter and the knuckleballer led the league with a 2.19 era and a 15-11 record. With Brecheen's help, seemingly washed up Phillies legend Robin Roberts made a successful comeback with the Orioles after going 1-10 with a 5.85 ERA in 1961. Roberts would win 42 games with the Orioles over his 3 1/2 years with Baltimore. Brecheen was let go after the 1967 season after too many promising Orioles pitchers turned up with arm troubles during his long tenure. He was voted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He died at age 89 in a nursing facility in Bethany, Oklahoma.