1965 Coaches Danny O’ Connell and Hobie Landrith resign. They are replaced by Rube Walker and Joe Pignatano. Pignatano and Walker are both former major league catchers and both spent time on the roster of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Senators Birthdays
Arnold (Chick) Gandil B Jan. 19, 1888 D Dec. 13, 1970
1st baseman Chick Gandil is probably best remembered for his tenure with the Chicago White Sox, however he spent 4 years with the Washington Senators.
Gandil originally made his way to the major leagues in 1910, playing in 77 games for the Chicago White Sox, hitting .193.
Purchased by Montreal, then of the Eastern League, before the start of the 1911 season, Gandil would be out of the majors during 1911.
In late May of 1912, the Washington Senators traded Jerry Akers, Charlie Becker and Bill Cunningham to Montreal for Gandil. He’d play in 117 games for Washington, hitting .305, collecting 135 hits including 20 doubles, 15 triples and 2 home runs with 81 RBI’s.
1913 would be an even better season for Gandil as he’d hit .318 with 175 hits, the highest total of his career.
Gandil would remain with the Senators through 1915 although his batting average would drop off.
Purchased by the Cleveland Indians before the start of the 1917 season, Gandil would spend one season with the Indians hitting .259 in 146 games.
Just 1 season later, Gandil would be headed back to where he began when he was purchased by the Chicago White Sox.
Gandil would finish his career with the White Sox, playing from 1917 through 1919. He’d see 2 World Series-in 1917 when the White Sox defeated the New York Giants and again in 1919 when the pennant winning Sox lost to the Cincinnati Reds.
Fred Lee Valentine B Jan. 19, 1935 Still Living
Signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 1956, outfielder Fred Valentine would make a late season debut with the O’s in September of 1959. Playing in 12 games, he’d hit .316, going 6 for 19.Valentine wouldn’t return to the majors until 1963 when he’d play in another 26 games for Baltimore.
After the 1963 season, Valentine would be purchased by the Washington Senators. He’d play in 102 games for the Senators in 1964 hitting .226 with 5 doubles and 4 home runs.
After the 1964 season, Valentine was sold to Toronto of the International League. However, just 1 week after being sold to Toronto, the Senators signed a working agreement with Hawaii of the Pacific Coast League and Valentine, along with a number of other players suddenly found themselves on the roster of the Hawaii Islanders.
Valentine would be purchased again by the Senators and would return to Washington hitting .241 while playing in 12 games.
Valentine would spend 1966 and 1967 on the Senators roster, one of his best years being 1966 when he’d hit .276 in 141 games.
Starting the 1968 season in Washington, Valentine was traded in mid-June to the Baltimore Orioles for Bruce Howard. He’d play in 47 games for Baltimore, concluding his major league career in late September.
Jan 19
This Date in Washington Senators History
