Tom Browning, World Series Pitcher, Dead at 62

Tom Browning, a World Series champion pitcher who spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, died on Monday, according to MLB.com. He was 62 years old. Browning was found not breathing and unresponsive at his home in Union County, Kentucky, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:13 p.m. ET, and no foul play was suspected.  

“The entire Reds family is stunned and deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Tom Browning,” the Reds said in a statement, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We join Reds Country in mourning the loss of one of our all-time greats, who created so many memories and magical moments for us all. Our deepest condolences to Tom’s family during this difficult time.”  

Browning began his MLB career in 1984. He made history in 1988 when pitched the 12th perfect gamer in baseball history. The moment happened on Sept. 16 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Browning threw 102 pitches. Browning is the only Reds player to pitch a perfect game and was the first left-hander to accomplish it since Sandy Koufax in 1965. 

“This is exciting,” third baseman Chris Sabo told reporters afterward. “We’re all little boys at heart. This is what dreams are made of and he got his dream tonight.” In 1990, Browning helped the Reds win the World Series. During that season, Browning won 15 games and earned a World Series Game 3 victory against the Oakland Athletics. In 1991, Browning was selected to play in his first and only All-Star game after starting the season 10-4. His final season with the Reds was in 1994, and it was cut short due to an arm injury. He joined the Kansas City Royals in 1995 but decided to take the season off to rehab his arm. Browning officially retired in 1996 and was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2006. 

In an interview with Red Reporter in 2006, Browning described how the Reds were in the 1980s. “It was a lot more regimented,” he said. “It was really considered a world-class organization in the way it was run (I think we’re headed back in that direction). I was a lifelong Reds fan even though I grew up in Casper, Wyoming. In the book, I talk about how Johnny Bench and Pete Rose actually came to our year-end Little League banquet and how that really sparked my love for the Reds even more.”