January 28
1968 Goose Goslin and Kiki Cuyler are admitted to the Hall of Fame by unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee. Goslin was a career .316 hitter who played in four World Series. Cuyler was a .321 career hitter with four stolen base crowns.
Goslin was in the majors from 1921 through 1938, playing for the Washington Senators from 1921 through 1930 and returned to the Senators for the 1933 and 1938 seasons, also spending time with the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns. (See October 16th birthdays.)
Senators Birthdays
James William (Ducky) Holmes B Jan. 28, 1869 D Aug. 6, 1932
Ducky Holmes career sounds like a travelouge of defunct National League franchises. Holmes first came to the major leagues in 1895 as an outfielder with the Louisville Colonels. Playing in Louisville in 1895, 1896 and the early part of 1897, Holmes would be traded to the New York Giants in early May and would finish the 1897 season in New York.
Holmes would be traded again after the season to the old National League St. Louis Browns where he’d start the 1898 season. Traded again, this time to the Baltimore Orioles in mid-June, Holmes would spend the remainder of 1898 and the entire 1899 season in Baltimore.
Out of the major leagues in 1900, Holmes would return with the Detroit Tigers in the newly formed American League in 1901. Holmes would spend 2 seasons in Detroit and would be purchased before the start of the 1903 season by the Washington Senators.
Playing in just 21 games for Washington, Holmes would be hitting .225 when he was traded in mid-June to the Chicago White Sox for Davey Dunkle. Holmes would remain with the White Sox through the end of the 1905 season when his major league playing days came to an end.
Joseph James Kohlman B Jan. 28, 1913 D Mar. 16, 1974
Senators Short Timer Joe Kohlman would spend small parts of 2 seasons pitching for Washington. Debuting in late September of 1937, Kohlman would appear in 2 games, posting a 1-0 record with a 4.15 ERA. Returning with the Senators in the spring of 1938, Kohlman would make his way into 6 games, his ERA rising to 6.28 and he’d make his last major league appearance in late May.
Lynford Hobart Lary B Jan. 28, 1906 D Jan. 9, 1973
Lyn Lary is another of those major leaguers who would spend a long time in the major leagues, but a very brief time with the Senators. In Lary’s case, he’d play in 1302 games over 12 seasons, with only 39 of those games coming in a Senators uniform.
Starting his major league playing days with the New York Yankees in 1929, Lary would remain with the Yankees through mid-May of 1934 when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Lary would finish the 1934 season in Boston and then was traded again, this time to the Washington Senators, along with $225,000, for Joe Cronin.
After just 39 games as a Senator, where he was hitting .194, Lary would be on the move again, this time traded to the St. Louis Browns for Alan Strange. Lary would complete the 1935 season in St. Louis where he’d stay for 1936.
Before the start of the 1937 season, Lary was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He’d play in Cleveland for 1937, 1938 and the early portion of 1939.
Lary probably didn’t have an opportunity to unpack his suitcase in 1939-after playing in just 3 games for the Indians he was sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers in early May. Lary’s stay in Brooklyn wouldn’t last long as he was waived by the Dodgers in mid-August after 29 games and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals. He’d finish the 1939 season playing in 34 games for the Cards.
Waived again by the Cardinals at the start of the 1940 season, Lary would sign on with the Browns for a second time. He’d get into just 27 games as a Brwon before receiving his final release in August.
Julio Gonzalez Moreno B Jan. 28, 1921 D Jan. 2, 1987
Another member of the Senator’s Cuban Connection, Julio Moreno was signed by Washington prior to the start of the 1947 season. He’d make his major league debut as a 29 year old rookie in September of 1950, posting a 1-1 record in 4 games with a 4.64 ERA.
Gonzalez’ most active season would be 1951 when he’d pitch in 31 games, going 5-11. He’d be 9-9 in 1952 and 3-1 in 1953 when he’d make his final major league appearance in late June.
James Edward (Pete) Runnels B Jan. 28, 1928 D May 20, 1991
Infielder Pete Runnels was originally signed by the Washington Senators in September of 1950. Making his big league debut on the 1st of July, 1951, Runnels would hit .278 in 78 games.
Runnels would remain on the Senators roster through 1957, his best season at the plate would be 1956 when he’d hit .310.
Traded to the Boston Red Sox for Albie Pearson and Norm Zauchin (See Jan. 23rd.), Runnels would play with the Red Sox through 1962, winning the American League batting title in 1960 and 1962 after just missing in 1958. He’d also be selected to the American League All Star Teams of 1959, 1960 and 1962.
After the 1962 season, Runnels would be traded to the fledgling Houston Colt .45’s where he’d play in 1963 and early 1964, being released in mid-May.
Runnels would remain in baseball as a coach and would briefly manage the 1966 Red Sox.
William Nicholas Snyder B Jan. 28, 1898 D Oct. 8, 1934
Another Short Timer, pitcher Bill Snyder appeared in 2 games for the 1919 Senators, going 0-1 with a 1.13 ERA. Back for the start of the 1920 season, Snyder would go 2-1 in 16 games, his last appearance coming in late July.
