
Billy Hunter
Billy Hunter, the last living member of the ӣƵ Browns, died Thursday afternoon at the age of 97.
The news was confirmed by Ed Wheatley of the ӣƵ Browns Historical Society and Fan Club as well as the .
Hunter was an All-Star in 1953, his rookie season in ӣƵ and the franchise’s last here before moving to Baltimore.
He played in 630 games with four MLB franchises: the Browns/Orioles, Yankees, Athletics and Indians.
The second-to-last surviving member of the Browns, Ed Mickelson, died last week at 98.
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Upon retirement, Hunter, after managing a minor league team for the Orioles, coached third base for Baltimore from 1964 to 1977, contributing to two World Series Championships and four American League pennants, Wheatley wrote.
The Orioles enjoyed a golden period in its franchise history with Hunter on staff. Baltimore won two World Series titles, made the postseason six times and fielded Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Jim Palmer.
Hunter was credited for coming up with the idea for the clubhouse to hold its famous “Kangaroo Court” with Frank Robinson serving as the judge, complete with a robe and mop on his head, levying fines on players who made mental mistakes in games.
Hunter managed the Texas Rangers for two seasons in the late 1970s before joining Towson University as head baseball coach. He also served as the university’s athletic director.

Billy Hunter
“Although Billy’s passing ends the litany of men who played for the ӣƵ Browns,” Wheatley wrote, “their legacy will never be forgotten as the ӣƵ Browns Historical Society & Fan Club will forever continue its efforts to remind the nation that there once was a fine group of men who played on an American League team in ӣƵ and while their record may have not been sparkling, their memory lives on.”
The Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, native, who was originally recruited by Penn State to play both baseball and football, lasted only one season in Baltimore before being traded as part of a 17-player deal to the New York Yankees. He was part of New York’s 1956 World Series-winning roster but never made an appearance in the Fall Classic.
He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1996 as part of the same class as Cal Ripken Sr.
Hunter is survived by his wife, Bev, his sons Greg and Kevin, his four grandchildren and his four great-grandchildren.
The Baltimore Sun contributed to this report.
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