Fred Massey, the great nephew of Mordecai Brown, once had a dream to honor the memory of his famous relative. For all of his accomplishments on the ball field, influence in his community, enshrinements into several halls of fame, and legendary baseball status, Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown had no place of remembrance in the town of his birth. It was the dream of Fred Massey to correct that error.

During the early 1970s Massey began to envision a permanent memorial to be erected in Nyesville, Indiana, the original home of his great uncle. After sharing his dream with others and enlisting the support of fans throughout the region, Fred Massey began to develop a plan to make his dream come true. Over twenty years passed from the conception of the dream to its birth. On July 9th, 1994, Massey saw his vision go from concept to completion.

Located on the birth place of Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown sits a granite marker commemorating the life and career of Nyesville’s favorite son. Mordecai loved his rural home and community. During his baseball career, the Cubs’ pitching ace retuned to the Nyesville and the Wabash Valley as often as he could, catching up with family and friends. While in Nyesville Mordecai could be usually found with the local boys following his other favorite sports of rabbit hunting and fishing. Having a permanent presence in his beloved Wabash Valley was something that Three Finger Brown dreamed of as well.

Today the Mordecai Brown Memorial marker is visited by countless fans that drop by to pay honor to the great hurler. Although a bit off-the-beaten-path, an excursion to the memorial is a must for any dedicated Brown enthusiast. The monument site is just 30 miles from Terre Haute, Indiana. To reach the monument travel 3 miles North/Northeast from Rockville, Indiana on route 160 east to Nyesville.