In between, Brown played or managed in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) during the same period and later became a respected scout.

[2] Brown reached the big leagues in 1925 with the Brooklyn Robins, spending one year there, before moving to the Washington Senators (1928–32), St. Louis Browns (1933), Boston Red Sox (1933), Cleveland Indians (1934–37), and Philadelphia Phillies (1940).

Brown's most productive season came in 1930 for the poor-hitting Senators, when he posted career-best numbers with 16 wins, 15 complete games, and 258 innings pitched.

In 1931, he won 15 games for Washington, collecting career-highs in earned run average (ERA) (3.20) and strikeouts (79), and again recorded 15 victories, in 1932.

Defensively, he recorded a .969 fielding percentage (which is 14 points higher than the league average at his position).