Dewitt, William O. 1941-.

In 1902, the Milwaukee Brewers, of the Western League, moved to St. Louis, where they became the "Browns". In 1944, the Browns won their only St. Louis-based American League pennant. The 1945 season may be best remembered for the Browns' signing of utility outfielder Pete Gray, the only one-armed major league position player in history.In 1951, Bill Veeck, the former owner of the Cleveland Indians purchased the Browns. In St. Louis he extended the promotions and wild antics that had made him famous and loved by many and loathed by many others. Veeck also brought the legendary, and seemingly ageless, Satchel Paige back to major league baseball to pitch for the Browns. Veeck attempted to move the Browns back to Milwaukee but the move was blocked by the other American League owners. Veeck was all but forced to sell the Browns to a Baltimore-based group led by attorney Clarence Miles and brewer Jerry Hofberger. With Veeck "out of the way", the American League owners quickly approved the relocation of the team to Baltimore for the 1954 season. Source used for biographical sketch was http://en.wikipedia.org.