December 31
Senators Birthdays
As we prepare to “ring out the old year and ring in the new” on this New Year’s Eve, we have just 1 birthday to report. Once again, it’s a long time major leaguer who spent a very short stint in a Senators uniform…
Thomas Joseph Byrne B Dec. 31, 1919 D Dec. 20, 2007
Signed by the New York Yankees in 1940, pitcher Tommy Byrne would debut with the Yankees in late April of 1943. Appearing in 11 games, Byrne would compile a 2-1 record with a 6.54 ERA.
Byrne would not return to the Yankees until 1946. His first really active season would be 1948 when he’d go 8-5 in 31 games. He’d post a 15-7 record in 1949 and a 15-9 mark in 1950.
After 9 games with the Yankees in 1951, Byrne would be traded in mid-June to the St. Louis Browns, where he’d finish the 1951 season and pitch in 1952.
Traded to the Chicago White Sox after the 1952 season, Byrne would appear in 6 games for the White Sox in 1953, going 2-0 with a 10.13 ERA. In mid-June, Byrne was purchased by the Washington Senators where he’d finish the 1953 season going 0-5 in 6 games.
Released by the Senators in early August, Byrne would be re-signed the same day by the Chicago White Sox.
Traded to Seattle, then of the Pacific Coast League, Byrne would be picked up in early September of 1954 by the Yankees as they made their annual “pennant push”. Byrne would respond by posting a 3-2 record in 5 games with New York.
Back with the Yankees in 1955, Byrne would have one of the best seasons of his career, going 16-5 in 27 games with a 3.15 ERA. Byrne would finish his major league career in New York, making his last major league appearance for the Yankees in late September of 1957.
Byrne would be selected to the American League All Star team of 1950 and would appear in the World Series of 1949, 1955, 1956 and 1957.
Nicknamed “Wildman”, Byrne would lead the American League in walks in 1949, 1950 and 1951 and in hit batsmen from 1948 through 1952.
