January 17
Senators Birthdays
Roy Arthur Grover B Jan. 17, 1892 D Feb. 7, 1978
Roy Grover began his brief major league career with the Philadelphia Athletics in mid-September of 1916. A 2nd baseman, Grover would play in 20 games his first season, hitting .274.
Back with the A’s in 1917, Grover would have a chance to play regularly, making it into 141 games, his BA slipping to .224.
Out of the majors in 1918, Grover would play in 22 games for Philadelphia before being purchased by the Washington Senators in June of 1919.
Grover would make it into 24 more games with Washington, hitting .187, his last major league appearance coming in early July.
Chalmer Luman Harris B Jan. 17, 1915 D Nov. 11, 1996
Lum Harris would spend the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, pitching for the Phils from 1941 through 1944 and again in 1946. His most successful season in Philly would be 1944 when he’d post a 10-9 record with a 3.30 ERA.
Waived by the Phillies after the 1946 season, Harris would be signed by the Washington Senators where he’d pitch in just 3 games, his last major league appearance coming in mid-May of 1947.
Harris is probably better remembered as a manager with the Baltimore Orioles in 1961, the Houston Astros in 1964 & 1965 and with the Atlanta Braves where he managed from 1968 through 1972, piloting the Braves to the National League West Division crown in 1969, the first year of divisional play.
J. W. (Jay) Porter B Jan. 17, 1933 Still Living
Catcher and outfielder Jay Porter would begin his brief journey through the majors in 1952 playing in 33 games for the St. Louis Browns.
After the season, he’d be traded to the Detroit Tigers making his next major league appearance in 1955. Porter would be on the Tigers roster for 3 years, his most active season coming in 1957 when he play in 58 games, hitting .250.
Traded to the Cleveland Indians, Porter would play in 40 games for the Tribe in 1958 and would be on the move again after the season when he was traded to the Washington Senators for Ossie Alvarez.
Playing in 39 games for Washington in 1959, Porter would hit .226 for the Senators in 37 games.
Released by Washington, Porter would be signed by the St. Louis Cardinals where he’d finish the 1959 season, and his career, hitting .212 for the Redbirds in 23 games.
Donald William Zimmer B Jan. 17, 1931 Still Living
Don Zimmer began his major league career in 1954 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Making his major league debut in early July of 1954, Zimmer would remain with the Dodgers through 1959. He’d make it into 2 World Series, first in 1955 when the Brooklyn Dodgers would win their only World’s Championship against the New York Yankees and again in 1959 when the relocated LA Dodgers would win the Series against the “Go-Go” White Sox.
Traded to the Chicago Cubs before the start of the 1960 season, Zimmer would spend 2 seasons in Chicago, being selected to the 1961 National League All Star Team.
After the 1961 season, Zimmer was taken by the New York Mets in the expansion draft of 1962. He’d only appear in 14 games with the Mets before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he’d finish the 1962 season playing in 63 games.
Traded back to the Dodgers after the 1962 season, Zimmer would play in 22 games for LA in 1963 before being purchased by the Washington Senators in late June. Zimmer would finish his career with the expansion Senators, playing in 83 games in 1963 when he’d hit .248, .246 in 1964 and .199 in 1965, his last major league season.
Zimmer would spend most of his career as an infielder, playing 2nd and 3rd base and shortstop but could also play the outfield and late in his career would fill in as a catcher with the Senators.
Zimmer would remain in baseball, managing the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs. His 1989 Cubs would capture the National League East division crown.
He’d go on to be a long-time coach with the New York Yankees and most recently was associated with the Tampa Bay Rays as they won the 2008 American League pennant.
