Mike Brown believed in his players, managed 5 years, played

His team on a 10-game losing streak in July 1990, Reno manager Mike Brown called a meeting to  try and snap the club out of it, The Reno Gazette-Journal wrote.

Brown's words appeared to do the trick as his Silver Sox took the win that night with four runs in the ninth, The Gazette-Journal wrote.

"I just wanted the guys to know that I still believed and cared about them," Brown told The Gazette-Journal afterward. "I just thought it was a good time to let them know. I wanted to let them know that I appreciated their effort. They never give up."

That season marked Brown's second as a manager after three seasons spent as a player. He went on to manage in at least three more seasons, each of those three with single-A Columbus.

Brown's baseball career began in 1985, signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent out of Pan American University.

Brown started with the Astros at short-season Auburn. He hit .217 in 31 games. He then moved to single-A Osceola for 1986 and 1987. He hit .240 his first year there and .207 his second. That second year at Osceola proved his last as a player.

By 1989, Brown had started his coaching and managing career. He served then as manager for the Indians in the rookie Gulf Coast League.

He moved to high-A Reno for 1990. His initial challenge was to ensure his players understood Reno was on par with the Indians' Kinston club, also in high-A, according to The Gazette-Journal.

"They think they're going to a lower class-A league because they're not going to Kinston," Brown told The Gazette-Journal. "I've told them the Cal League is as good or better. We'll struggle a bit early, but I'm going to try and make them all players."

Brown then moved to manage single-A Columbus for 1991. He took his squad to the playoffs in 1992 and 1993, finishing second both years. Dating back to 1989, he also didn't have a losing season. He also won league manager of the year honors in 1992.

Brown's last recorded time as a coach came in 1994 at AA Canton-Akron.

• Reno Gazette-Journal, April 3, 1990: Cleveland sending power, talent to Silver Sox
• Reno Gazette-Journal, July 27, 1990: Sox snap skid with late rally in 7-6 triumph

More: The 1990 Reno Silver Sox

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,531
Made the Majors:1,227-34.8%
Never Made Majors:2,304-65.2%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:509
10+ Seasons in the Minors:304

More 1990 Minor Leaguers:

 - Don Brown showed maturity, leadership, saw 6 pro seasons, 11/4/21
 - Jackie Brown made 7 ML seasons as player, later as coach, 6/19/14
 - Jarvis Brown's hard work paid off in majors, World Series, 11/7/13

 - Jimmy Brown saw some success in GCL, played 3 pro seasons, 5/14/19
 - Keith Brown saw 4 majors seasons, then fought cancer, 12/24/10
 - Kevin Brown showed poise, made 3 major league seasons, 6/1/12

 - Kurt Brown kept working over seven pro seasons, made AAA, 5/30/13

 - Marty Brown took hard-nosed play to bigs, Japan, manage, 5/20/22

 - Matt Brown sometimes got lucky over 6 seasons, made AA, 7/10/24
 - Mike Brown played 9 seasons, including 2 as pitcher, made AA, 2/26/20