Senators Birthdays
Louis Joseph Berberet B Nov. 20, 1929 D Apr. 6, 2004
Catcher Lou Berberet was originally signed by the New York Yankees in 1950. He’d finally amke it to the majors in mid-September of 1954 as a 24 year old rookie. Playing in 5 games, Berberet would go 2 for 5 at bat with 3 RBI’s and 1 run scored. In 1955 Berberet would play in just 2 games for the Yankees but would again go 2 for 5 at bat. In later years, Berberet would joke that he was a career .400 hitter with the Yankees.
Before the 1956 season, Berberet was traded, along with Herb Plews, Dick Tettelbach and Bob Weisler (and Whitey Herzog as the “player to be named later”) to the Washington Senators in exchange for Bobby Kline and Mickey McDermott.
Berberet would spend 1956, 1957 and the early part of 1958 with the Senators, finally getting the opportunity to play on a regular basis. Berberet would play in 95 games in 1956 and 99 games in 1957, hitting .261 each season.
After 5 games in 1958, Berberet was traded to the Boston Red Sox for Ken Aspromonte. He’d finish the 1958 season playing in 57 games for Boston before being traded again to the Detroit Tigers where he’d finish his career in 1959 and 1960.
Clark Calvin Griffith B Nov. 20, 1869 D Oct. 27, 1955
Hall Of Famer should need no introduction to even casual baseball fans. Born just a few years after the end of the Civil War, Griffith’s major league baseball career began in 1891 with the St. Louis Browns of the American Association. Pitching in 27 games for St. Louis, Griffith would post an 11-8 record with a 3.33 ERA. Even with that performance, Griffith was released in July and signed on with the Boston Reds, also of the American Association in August where he’d finish the season going 3-1 in 7 games.
Out of the majors in 1892, Griffith would return in 1893 with the Chicago franchise, then
known as the Colts through 1900. The Colts would change the name of the franchise to Orphans in 1898. Griffith would win over 20 games a season in 7 different seasons with the Colts/Orphans, including 6 consecutive years from 1894 through 1899. He’d also lead the league in 1898 with a 1.88 ERA and complete games with 37 in 1897.
Jumping to the Chicago White Sox in the newly formed American League in 1901, Griffith would spend 2 years with the White Sox serving as a player/manager, leading the team to a 1st place finish in 1901 (before the inauguration of the World Series) but would finish a dsappointing 4th in 1902.
Joining the New York Highlanders (later Yankees) in 1903, again as a player/manager, Griffith would remain on the Highlanders roster through 1907 and would strictly manage in 1908. The best the team would be able to do was to finish 2nd in 1904 and 1906. He’d resign as manager in June of 1908 after the Highlanders had lost 12 of 13 games, blaming himself and bad luck.
He’d have a change of heart over the off season and would sign on as player/manager with the Cincinnati Reds. Griffith would only pitch in 1 game in the 1909 season being charged with the loss. He’d guide the Reds to declining finishes of 4th, 5th and 6th place from 1909 to 1911.
In 1912 Griffith would join the Senators desiring to become an owner. He’d manage the Senators from 1912 through 1920, the 1912 & 1913 teams finishing in 2nd place. He’d pitch in 1 game a season in 1912, 1913 & 1914, his final appearance as a player coming in October of 1914.
Griffith would go on to become owner of the Senators until his death in 1955. Griffith was known as a shrewd judge of talent. As has been noted many times during this continuing history of Senators players, Griffith’s “Cuban Connection” brought many players to the major leagues.
An excellent biography of Clark Griffith can be found at the SABR website:
SABR Clark Griffith biography by Mike Grahek
Felix Thaddeus Mackiewicz B Nov. 20, 1917 D Dec. 20, 1993
Beginning his career with the Philadelphia Athletics, outfielder Felix Maciewicz would make brief appearances with the A’s in 1941, 1942 and 1943 playing in a total of 20 games over 3 seasons.
Out of the major leagues in 1944, Mackiewicz would return with the Cleveland Indians in 1945, playing in 120 games, hitting .273. He’d hit .260 in 78 games in 1946.
After 2 games with the Indians in 1947, Mackiewicz would be released and selected off waivers by the Washington Senators. 3 games in a Senators uniform in late May would mark the end of Mackiewicz’s career.
Felix Mackiewicz career record
George Florian McBride B Nov. 20, 1880 D Jul. 2, 1973
Shortstop George McBride made his major league debut with the original Milwaukee Brewers in 1901. Playing in 3 games he’d go 2 for 12 at bat and would disappear from the major leagues until 1905.
McBride would start the 1905 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates but after 27 games, hitting .218, he’d be traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. McBride would finish the year in St. Louis and would return in 1906 to play in 90 games, although he’d only manage to hit .169.
Out of the majors again in 1907, McBride would resurface in 1908 with the Washington Senators. This time McBride would manage to stay for some time, playing with the Senators through 1920. He’d appear in 139 games or more every season from 1908 through 1916. Never much of a hitter, McBride’s best season at the plate would come in 1911 when he’d hit .235.
McBride’s playing time would diminish in his final 4 seasons, and he’d make his last major league appearance in late July of 1920.
Nov 20
This Date in Washington Senators History – Happy Birthday Clark Griffith
