Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown was born in the small farming and coal mining community of Nyesville, Indiana in the year 1876. At the young age of five, he was injured in two distinct accidents that removed his index finger and disfigured the additional fingers of his right hand. Destined to live a life with what many would see as a physical adversity, Mordecai instead focused himself on overcoming his obstacles and turning them into success.

Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, as he would be later known, found that with his misshapen hand he had the ability to hurl a baseball with great accuracy, while making it curve in unnatural twists. Showing exceptional skill and ability on the baseball diamond, Mordecai was soon accepted into the ranks of semi-professional and then Major League Baseball. Mordecai Brown became the pitching ace of the world champion Chicago Cubs dynasty during the early 1900s. Playing also for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cincinnati Reds, and the short lived Federal League, Mordecai amassed one of baseball history's best pitching and fielding records for his position.

Beyond Mordecai's prowess on the field of play, he has always been noted as a mentor, unifier, and to generate excellence in others. Mordecai instructed young people on and off the field toward moral lifestyles and successful achievement. It is upon these characteristics that the Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation and its core values have been founded. These values are affirmation, pursuit of excellence, family and community preservation, patriotism, along with youth mentoring and education.

The Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation has been set in action by members of his family and respectful fans as not only a tribute to the legacy of "Three Finger" Brown, but as a continuation of his life's work.