Another 6 birthdays to note on this January 6th, including a Hall Of Famer and another of our “Fab Fourteen”, a player who has the dubious distinction of having played for the Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators during the course of his career…
Senators Birthdays
Thomas Jerome Ferrick B Jan. 6, 1915 D Oct. 15, 1996
We’ll get down to business with Tom Ferrick, a pitcher who compiled a 40-40 won/lost record over 9 seasons, with 5 different American League teams and one of the Fab Fourteen…
Signed by the New York Giants in 1936, Ferrick would spend 3 years in the Giants organization without making a major league appearance. Signed by the Philadelphia Athletics prior to the 1941 season, Ferrick would make his major league debut with the 1941 Philadelphia Athletics, going 8-10 in 36 games as a 26 year old rookie.
Released by the A’s near the end of the season, Ferrick would be signed by the Cleveland Indians where he’d pitch in 1942, going 3-2 in 31 games with a 1.99 ERA.
Out of the majors leagues during the WWII years of 1943-1945, Ferrick would start the 1946 season in Cleveland but after appearing in 9 games, he’d be purchased by the St. Louis Browns in late June, finishing the year in St. Louis, going 4-1 in 25 games.
Purchased by the Washington Senators before the start of the 1947 season, Ferrick would be on the Senators roster in 1947 and 1948, posting records of 1-7 and 2-5 respectively.
After the 1948 season, Ferrick would be headed west again, traded back to the St. Louis Browns, along with John Sullivan and $25,000 in exchange for Sam Dente. Ferrick would pitch in 50 games for the Browns in 1949, compiling a 6-4 record.
Starting the 1950 season in St. Louis, Ferrick would be traded once again, this time to the New York Yankees where he’d go 8-4 in 30 games and make his only post-season appearance, collecting a win in the 1950 World Series as the Yankees swept the “Whiz Kid” Philadelphia Phillies.
Starting the 1951 campaign in New York, Ferrick would be on the move one last time, traded again in mid-June, back to the Washington Senators, along with Bob Porterfield and Fred Sanford for Bob Kuzava.
Ferrick would finish his career in Washington, going 2-0 in 22 games in 1951 and 4-3 in 27 games in 1952, his last major league appearance coming in late September.
Leonard Charles Green B Jan. 6, 1933 Still Living
Lenny Green is another of those players whose long major league career included a relatively short stint in a Senators uniform.
Signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 1955, outfielder Lenny Green would debut with the O’s in late August of 1957. Appearing in 19 games, Green would hit .182 in. Back with the Orioles in 1958, Green would make it into 69 games, raising his BA to .231.
Starting the 1959 season in Baltimore, Green would be traded in late May to the Washington Senators in exchange for Albie Pearson. He’d finish the ’59 season in Washington, playing in 88 games, hitting .242.
Green would have his best year at the plate in 1960 as he played in 127 games, hitting .294 as the original franchise made their last stand in Washington.
Green would relocate with the team to Minnesota in 1961, where he’d be a regular in the Twins lineup over the next 3 seasons.
Collecting some frequent flyer miles in 1964, Green would start the season on the Twins roster but would be traded in mid-June to the Los Angeles Angels. Green would play in 39 games for the Angels before he was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles in early September where he’d finish the season, appearing in 14 games.
Green would be on the move again during the off-season, purchased this time by the Boston Red Sox where he’d play in 1965 & 1966. Released by the Red Sox after the 1966 season, Green would be signed by the Detroit Tigers where he’d finish his career, playing in 1967 and a part of 1968 before getting his final release in early July.
John Thomas Slattery B Jan. 6, 1878 D Jul. 17, 1949
Catcher/1st baseman Jack Slattery began his short major league journey playing in 1 game for the Boston American League franchise, then known as the “Americans” in late September of 1901.
Slattery would return to the majors in 1903, playing in 4 games for Cleveland before being purchased by the Chicago White Sox, where he’d finish the season playing in 63 games.
Out of the majors again until 1906, Slattery would make a brief appearance with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing in 3 games.
Slattery would resurface one last time in 1909 when he’d play in 32 games for the Washington Senators, going 12 for 56 at the plate, his last game coming 8 years and 1 day after his major league debut.
Slattery would briefly manage the Boston Braves for part of the 1928 season.
Byron Franklin Speece B Jan. 6, 1897 D Sep. 29, 1974
By Speece began his short major league career by debuting with the Washington Senators in 1924. Speece would post a 2-1 record in 21 games and would appear in the 1924 World Series as the Senators captured their only Series crown.
After the season, Speece along with Carr Smith would be sent to Cleveland for Stan Coveleski. Speece would go 3-5 for the Indians in 1925 and would make a brief appearance in 1926, pitching in 2 games before being purchased by Indianapolis of the American Association.
Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fall of 1929, Speece would appear in 11 games for the Phillies in 1930 before receiving his final release in mid-July.
Early Wynn Jr. B Jan. 6, 1920 D Apr. 4, 1999
Hall Of Famer Early Wynn pitched for 23 years in the major leagues, managing to collect his 300th win with the Cleveland Indians in 1963 at the age of 43.
However, let’s start at the beginning when Wynn was signed by the Washington Senators in 1937. He’d make his major league debut with the Senators in 1939, pitching in 3 games, posting an 0-2 record.
Wynn would not return to the Senators roster until 1941 when he’d go 3-1 in 5 games with a 1.58 ERA. Wynn would establish himself as a regular in 1942.
He’d have his best season in Washington in 1943 when he’d post an 18-12 W/L record with a 2.91 ERA.
After the 1948 season, Wynn, along with Mickey Vernon would be headed to Cleveland in exchange for Joe Haynes, Ed Klieman and Eddie Robinson.
Wynn would spend the next 9 seasons in Cleveland, winning 20 or more games 4 times during that span. Wynn would pitch in the 1954 World Series being charged with 1 loss as the Indians were swept by the New York Giants. He’d also represent the Indians in the All Star Games of 1955, 1956 and 1957.
Traded to the Chicago White Sox after the 1957 season, Wynn would have a 22 win season in 1959 and would appear in his second World Series, compiling a 1-1 record as the “Go-Go Sox” lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wynn would make it to the All Star games of 1958, 1959 and 1960 representing the White Sox and would win the Cy Young Award in 1959.
Released by the Chicago White Sox after the 1962 season, Wynn’s career record would stand at 299-242. He’d be signed by the Cleveland Indians in late June of 1963. Wynn would appear in 20 games for the Indians, posting a 1-2 record and finally collecting that elusive 300th win.
Wynn’s last major league appearance would be on September 13th of 1963, exactly 24 years to the day after he debuted with the Senators in 1939.
William Francis Zinser B Jan. 6, 1918 D Feb. 16, 1993
Senators Short Timer Bill Zinser spent 1 week on the Senators roster in August of 1944. Pitching in 2 games, Zinser would give up 2 runs in 2/3rds of an inning, working out to an ERA of 27.00.
