May 21
1913 – Trailing Cleveland 2-0 in the top of the 9th, Washington’s Alva “Rip” Williams ties the contest with a 2 run, pinch HR. After the Sens score 2 more in the top of the 10th, Walter Johnson is bought in to seal the 4-2 victory.
1925 – The Big Train goes 3 for 4 and the Sens defeat the Tigers 6-2 in Detroit. Both teams combine for 9 double plays, a major league record for a 9 inning game.
1935 – Bobo goes to Washington. The Senators purchase the contract of St. Louis Brown pitcher Bobo Newsome for the then astronomical sum of $40,000. It is the first of 5 stints that Newsome would have in Washington.
1940 – At Comiskey Park, erstwhile Senator and future Sen manager Joe Kuhel collects 5 hits against his ex mates as the White Sox edge the Sens 9-8.
1943 – In the fastest night game played in AL history, the White Sox shutout the Senators 1-0 at Griffith. The contest is completed in 1 hour and 29 minutes.
1955 – It’s Fight Night at Griffith, as Senators P Mickey McDermott and Boston OF Jackie Jensen exchange blows after McDermott applies a hard tag on Jensen. Despite the bout between the players that were traded for one another after the 1953 season, the Senators throw the knockout punch on Boston when they push a run across in the bottom of the 12th for the 1-0 win.
1963 – With the Senators mired in 10th place at 14-26 after tonight’s 4-3 loss to Chicago, manager Mickey Vernon is dismissed as the Nats manager. Gil Hodges would succeed Vernon two days later, after coach Eddie Yost manages for one game on an interim basis.
1970 – Despite 11 walks issued by New York P Mel Stottlemyre, the Senators fail to capitalize as they fall to the Yanks 2-0 at Yankee Stadium. The 11 free passes by Stottlemyre ties a major league record for walks issued in a shutout.
Senators Birthdays
Yancey Wyatt (Doc) Ayers B May 21, 1891 D May 26, 1968
Doc Ayers spent 9 years in the major leagues beginning with the Senators in 1913. Probably his best season was the 1915 campaign, when he went 14-9 with a 2.21 ERA. Traded to the Detroit Tigers during the 1919 season, he would end his career with Detroit in 1921.
Edward Raymond Fitz Gerald B May 21, 1924 D June 14, 2020
Ed Fitz Gerald first appeared as a major league catcher in 1948 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In May 1953, he was purchased by the Washington Senators where he would spend the next 6 seasons. In May of 1959 he was traded by the Senators to the Cleveland Indians for Hal Naragon and Hal Woodeshick. He would be released by the Indians in April of 1960 before appearing during the regular season.
Never heavily utilized, his most active seasons were 1948 (102 games) and 1954 (115 games). A career .260 hitter, possibly his best season was 1956 when he batted .304 while appearing in 64 games.
