January 25
1943 The New York Yankees sell future Hall Of Fame pitcher Lefty Gomez (See November 26 birthdays.) to the Boston Braves. Gomez will never pitch for Boston, being released by the Braves before the start of the season. Gomez will sign on with the Washington Senators, pitching in 1 game on May 30th of 1943 and be charged with the loss before calling it a career. Gomez had played his entire career in a Yankees uniform with the exception of that 1 appearance with the Senators.
1974 The San Diego Padres are sold to entrepreneur Ray Kroc of McDonald’s fame, ending the hopes of Washington baseball fans that the struggling franchise, that had entered the National League with the 1969 expansion, would be shifted to the nation’s capital for the 1974 season. At one point the move had appeared so certain that the Topps Chewing Gum Company issued their initial offering of 1974 baseball cards with Padres players in San Diego uniforms but labelled “Washington-National League”.
Senators Birthdays
Gary Richard Holman B Jan. 25, 1944 Still Living
Orignially signed by the LA Dodgers before the start of the 1964 season, 1st baseman/outfielder Gary Holman would be drafted by the expansion Senators in November.
Holman would eventually make his way to the majors in late June of 1968. Appearing in 75 games for the Senators, Holman would manage to hit .294 with 5 doubles and 1 triple among his 25 hits.
Returning with the Senators in 1969, Holman would play in 41 games, his batting average slipping by over 130 points and he’d make his last major league appearance in mid-May, 8 days shy of the anniversary of his first major league game.
Charles Evis Whitehouse B Jan. 25, 1894 D Jul. 19, 1960
Charlie Whitehouse began his pitching career in the Federal League with the Indianapolis Hoosiers in 1914, going 2-0 in 8 games.
1915 would find Whitehouse on the roster of the Newark Peppers, also of the Federal League, where he’d go 2-2 in 11 games.
Out of the majors until 1919, Whitehouse would join the growing list of Senators Short Timers when he’d pitch in 6 games for Washington posting an 0-1 record with a 4.50 ERA.
Alas, Whitehouse would not last long in the city with the White House, his last major league appearance coming in early July.
