November 21
Senators Birthdays
William Frederick Clingman B Nov. 21, 1869 D May 14, 1958
Billy Clingman began his major league career in September of 1890 with the Cincinnati Reds. Primarily a 3rd baseman, although he’d also get a lot of playing time at shortstop, Clingman would appear in 7 games for the Reds, hitting .259.
In 1891, he’d play in 1 games with the Cincinnati Porkers of the American Association.
Clingman would not return to the major league scene until 1895 when he’d play in 106 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .259.
Traded to the Louisville Colonels, Clingman would spend the next 4 years (1896-1899) in the Bluegrass State, with 1899 being his best season at the plate when he’d hit .262, collecting 96 hits in 366 AB.
Purchased by the Chicago Orphans, Clingman would play in 47 games for Chicago, his BA slipping to .208, being released in early August.
In 1901, Clingman would join the Washington Senators in the newly formed American League, playing in 137 games, hitting .242.
Clingman would take another hiatus from the majors in 1902 but would return in 1903, playing in 21 games for the Cleveland American League franchise then known as the Blues, playing in his last major league game in mid-July.
Tommy Lee McCraw B Nov. 21, 1940 Still Living
Signed by the Chicago White Sox in 1960, 1st baseman/outfielder Tommy McCraw would make his major league debut with the team in early June of 1963. Playing in 102 games his first season, McCraw would hit .254. He’d remain with the White Sox through 1970.
Traded to the Washington Senators for Ed Stroud, McCraw would play in 122 games for the Senators in their last season in Washington.
In fact, McCraw has the distinction of hitting the last RBI for the Senators, scoring Tom Ragland, giving the Senators a 7-5 lead in their final game before an unruly crowd caused the game to be forefeited 9-0 to the New York Yankees.
Moving with the franchise to Texas, McCraw would never play for the Rangers, being traded in early June of 1972 to the Cleveland Indians. He’d play in 129 games for Cleveland, hitting .258 before being traded to the California Angels before the start of the 1973 season.
McCraw would spend 1973 and a portion of 1974 with the Angels before he was purchased by the the Indians and brought back to Cleveland. McCraw would post the highest BA of his career, .304, in 45 games with the Indians that season.
In 1975, he’d appear in 23 games for the Indians, being released at the end of June, marking the end of his major league career.
