December 25
We tiptoe down the stairs and find 6 more players under the Senators’ Christmas Tree this morning. Without further ado, we tear off the wrappings and introduce the following…
Emile Deering (Red) Barnes B Dec. 25, 1904 D Jul. 3, 1959
Outfielder Red Barnes would play in 3 games late in the 1927 season in his major league debut with the Senators.
Back in 1928, Barnes would hit .305 in 114 games, the best season of his career. He’d slip to an even .200 in 72 games in 1929 as his playing time diminished commensurate with his BA.
After 12 games in 1930, hitting just .167, Barnes would be traded to the Chicago White Sox for Dave Harris. Barnes would finish the season, and his career, hitting .248 in 85 games for the Pale Hose.
Lloyd Andrew Brown B Dec. 25, 1904 D Jan. 14, 1974
Lloyd Brown would first appear in the majors with the 1925 Brooklyn Dodgers. Pitching in 17 games, Brown would post an 0-3 record with a 4.12 ERA.
Out of the majors until 1928, Brown would re-emerge with the Washington Senators, going 4-4 in 27 games.
Brown would remain with the Senators through 1932, his best season being 1930 when he’d go 16-12 with a 4.25 ERA.
Traded after the 1932 season, Brown, along with Carl Reynolds, Sam West and $20,000 would head west for employ with the St. Louis Browns in exchange for Goose Goslin, Fred Schulte and Lefty Stewart.
Brown would pitch in just 8 games for the Browns before he was on the move again, traded this time to the Boston Red Sox where he’d finish the 1933 season.
Traded again after the season, Brown would spend 1934 through 1937 in the uniform of the Cleveland Indians.
Brown would show up again in 1940, pitching in 18 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, ending his major league career.
William Benjamin Chapman B Apr. 15, 1930 D Jul. 7, 1993
Ben Chapman began his major league journey in 1930 with the New York Yankees. Before it was all over Chapman would play in 1717 games with 7 different teams, including 2 stints with the Senators.
Chapman started his rookie season of 1930 playing 2nd and 3rd base, hitting .316 in 138 games. Shifted to the outfield for the 1931 season, Chapman would hit .315. He’d remain in Yankee pinstripes through mid-June of 1936 when he was traded to the Washington Senators for Jake Powell.
Playing in 97 games for the Senators in 1936, Chapman would respond by hitting .332. He’d start the 1937 season with the Senators but after appearing in 35 games, his average would drop to .262 and he’d be traded again, this time to the Boston Red Sox along with the well-travelled Bobo Newsom for Mel Almada and brothers Rick and Wes Ferrell.
Once again, Chapman would respond to the change in scenery by hitting .340 for Boston the remainder of the season.
Chapman would remain in Boston for the 1938 campaign but would be on the move again, traded to the Cleveland Indians where he’d spend 1939 and 1940.
After the 1940 season, Chapman would find himself headed to familiar territory as he was traded once again, this time back to the Senators for Joe Krakauskas. After 28 games in a Washington uniform, Chapman would be released in late May and signed by the Chicago White Sox 3 days later where he’d finish the 1941 season.
Out of the majors until 1944, Chapman would return as a 35 year old pitcher with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He’d post a 5-3 record with a 3.40 ERA for Brooklyn. Chapman would begin the 1945 season in Brooklyn, going 3-3 but would see his ERA rise to 5.79 when he was traded one last time in mid-June to the Philadelphia Phillies. Chapman would be listed as a player manager in 1945 & 1946 and would continue to manage the Phillies through 1948.
An offensive threat, Chapman would lead the AL in triples with 13 in 1934. He’d lead the AL in stolen bases in 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1937 but would also lead the league in times caught stealing from 1931 through 1934.
Chapman would be named to the American League All Star teams from 1933 through 1936 and would hit .294 in the 1932 World Series while with the New York Yankees.
Francis Rogers Ellerbe B Dec. 25, 1895 D Jul. 8, 1988
Frank Ellerbe, primarily a 3rd baseman during his 6 year career, would debut with the Washington Senators in late August of 1919. Playing in 28 games, he’d hit .276 in his first abbreviated season.
Back with the Senators in 1920, Ellerbe would play in 101 games, hitting .292.
Ellerbe would start 1921 with Washington, but after 10 games he’d be on the move, traded to the St. Louis Browns for Earl Smith. He’d remain with the Browns through June of 1924 when he’d be purchased by the Cleveland Indians, finishing the season, and his career with the Tribe.
William J. (Barry) McCormick B Dec. 25, 1874 D Jan. 28, 1956
Infielder Barry McCormick began his major league career with the Louisville Colonels when that team had major league status back in 1895. After just 3 games in Louisville, McCormick would start the 1896 season with the Chicago National League franchise, then known as the Orphans, where he’d play through 1901.
McCormick would jump to the St. Louis Browns in 1902. He’d play in St. Louis through mid-July of 1903 when he was traded to the Washington Senators for Joe Martin.
McCormick would finish the 1903 season in Washington, hitting .215 in 63 games. His career would come to an end in 1904 when he’d appear in 113 games for Washington, hitting .218, his last major league appearance coming in late August.
“Barry” McCormick career record
Joseph J. Quinn B Dec. 25, 1864 D Nov. 12, 1940
Joe Quinn, a native of Sydney, Australia, somehow made his way to the United States and picked up the American game of baseball at an early age, debuting as a 19 year old with the St. Louis Maroons of the old Union Association in 1884.
In 1885 the Maroons joined the National League and Quinn would remain on the roster playing in 97 games. He’d play in another 75 games in 1886.
Out of the majors in 1887, Quinn would be back in 1888 with Boston where he’d also play in 1889.
1890 would find Quinn still in Boston, but on the roster of the team in the Player’s League.
He’d be back with the National League team in 1891 where he’d remain through 1892.In 1893 he was back in St. Louis where he’d play until 1896 when, after 48 games, he’d head east to Brooklyn. Remaining in Brooklyn in 1897, he’d appear in just 12 games in 1898 when he’d be on the move again, back to St. Louis where he’d play in 103 games.
1899 would find Quinn in Cleveland and 1900 would find him starting the season in Cincinnati, playing in 74 games before he was headed back to St. Louis for 22 games.
All of this brings us to 1901, the first year of the newly-formed American League. Quinn would cap off his career by playing in 66 games for the Washington Senators, hitting .252, his last game coming in late July of 1901.
From Art Audley, As a postscript, allow me to wish all who are following this thread a very Merry Christmas!!!
*Baseball historians Art Audley and Jamie Johnson researched and chronicled events, such as daily highlights plus birthdays in Washington Senators’ history (both franchises-the original Senators [1901-1960] and the expansion Senators [1961-1971]).
