Brooks Lawrence, a 15-game winner as a Cardinals rookie pitcher in 1954, was their Opening Day starter in 1955, but he was weak from a bleeding ulcer, slumped and got demoted to the minor leagues during his sophomore season.
The Cardinals decided Lawrence wouldn’t regain the effectiveness he showed as a rookie.
On Jan. 31, 1956, the Cardinals traded Lawrence and pitcher Sonny Senerchia to the Reds for reliever Jackie Collum. It was the first deal made by general manager Frank Lane since he joined the Cardinals in October 1955.
It turned out the Cardinals gave up on Lawrence too soon.
With his strength back and his ulcer under control, Lawrence pitched for the Reds in 1956 the way he had as a Cardinals rookie.
Long road to majors
In 1943, after graduating from high school in Springfield, Ohio, Lawrence joined the Army and served in the Pacific during World War II. He was awarded a Bronze Star for using a machine gun to fight off an enemy plane attacking U.S. soldiers. After military service, he attended Miami University in Ohio in 1947. Two years later, he began his professional pitching career in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system.
The Reds acquired Lawrence from the Indians in October 1953 on the recommendation of former Cardinals catcher Mickey Owen, who managed Lawrence in the winter league at Puerto Rico and taught him to throw a slider and a changeup. However, the Reds left Lawrence exposed in the 1953 minor-league draft and the Cardinals claimed him.
Lawrence opened the 1954 season with the Cardinals’ Class AAA club at Columbus, Ohio, and was promoted to St. Louis in June 1954.
Milestone performance
In his major-league debut against the Pirates at Pittsburgh, Lawrence, 29, started, pitched a four-hitter and became the first African-American pitcher to earn a win for the Cardinals. Boxscore
In 35 appearances, including 18 starts, for the 1954 Cardinals, Lawrence was 15-6 with a 3.74 ERA. He was adept at starting (9-2, 3.85 ERA) and relieving (6-4, 3.25 ERA).
Against the Cubs that season, Lawrence was 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA.
Medical emergency
Shortly after the 1954 season, Lawrence collapsed at his Springfield, Ohio, home. “I was coming out of the bathroom and passed out from loss of blood,” he told The Sporting News.
Diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer, Lawrence needed eight transfusions and spent 10 days in a hospital. “The doctor told me that if they had waited a half hour longer to bring me to the hospital it would have been too late,” Lawrence said.
According to The Sporting News, Lawrence was placed on a strict diet of milk, cream and baby food.
“I reported for spring training in 1955 weighing 217 pounds,” Lawrence said. “That’s about 12 pounds more than I usually weigh. I was healthy and looked it, but I wasn’t strong.”
Shaky season
Lawrence was the choice of manager Eddie Stanky to be the 1955 Cardinals’ Opening Day starter at Chicago against the Cubs, but he was shelled for five runs and lifted before he could complete the first inning. Boxscore
The poor start foreshadowed his season. In 46 games, including 10 starts, for the 1955 Cardinals, Lawrence was 3-8 with a 6.56 ERA.
He was equally bad as a starter (2-5, 6.58 ERA) as he was a reliever (1-3, 6.55 ERA).
Against the Cubs that season, Lawrence was 0-3 with an 11.37 ERA.
After Lawrence was demoted to the minor leagues in August, Harry Walker, who had replaced Stanky as manager, said, “He’s a good man and I hope he proves again that he’s a good pitcher.”
Lawrence finished the season on an upswing, posting a 5-1 record and 2.37 ERA for Class AAA Oakland of the Pacific Coast League.
Change environment
After the 1955 season, Lane was tasked with rebuilding a club that finished 68-86.
Lane asked his Reds counterpart, Gabe Paul, about a pair of former Cardinals, Collum and third baseman Ray Jablonski. “When I heard what he wanted in return,” Lane said, “I told him he must have been the key man in the Brink’s holdup.”
Paul countered by saying Lane “was too much in love with St. Louis major- and minor-leaguers” to strike a deal.
Columnist Dick Young reported Paul contacted Lawrence “to ascertain that the pitcher’s ulcers have not been kicking up.”
Cardinals doctors declared Lawrence cured of ulcers, The Sporting News reported.
Said Lawrence: “There was nothing wrong with my arm last year. That ulcer was the trouble.”
Make a deal
The trade was made when Lane agreed to take only Collum in exchange for Lawrence and Senerchia.
“It’s not earth-shaking,” Lane said to United Press about the trade, “but it’s a start.”
Surprised, Lawrence said he thought the Cardinals “would have at least given me a good look” in spring training.
Lawrence worked for the water department in Springfield that winter and said, “I operated an air hammer. That takes the fat off you.”
Collum, who had pitched for the Cardinals from 1951-53 and was 9-8 with a 3.63 ERA for the 1955 Reds, “is not a great pitcher, but he’s a great competitor,” Lane said.
Used mostly in relief with the 1956 Cardinals, Collum was 6-2 with seven saves and a 4.20 ERA.
Lawrence won his first 13 decisions with the 1956 Reds and finished the season 19-10 with a 3.99 ERA.
Previously: The debut of Bill Greason, first black Cardinals pitcher
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