Overview

• Tommy Brown, who passed away at 97, was the youngest player to hit a home run in MLB history, a record he set at age 17 in 1945.
• He debuted at just 16 years old in 1944, becoming the youngest position player in MLB history during a World War II manpower shortage.
• Brown was a member of the historic 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers, the team that included Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color barrier.
• He refused to sign a petition opposing Robinson's addition to the team, an action his daughter described as a reflection of his strong character.
• Brown's MLB career spanned nine years, including playing in the 1949 World Series, before continuing in the minor leagues until 1959.