February 7
Senators Birthdays
Baldomero (Mel) Almada B Feb. 7, 1913 D Aug. 13, 1988
Mexican born outfielder Mel Almada made his way to the major leagues in September of 1933, first playing for the Boston Red Sox. Almada’s first full season of play would be 1935, when he’d hit .290 in 151 games.
Traded to the Washington Senators in mid-June of 1937, along with brothers Rick and Wes Ferrell for Ben Chapman and Bobo Newsom, Almada would finish the 1937 season in Washington, playing in an even 100 games, hitting .309.
Almada would start 1938 in a Senators uniform, appearing in 47 games, hitting .244, when he was traded, once again in mid-June, this time to the St. Louis Browns for Sam West.
Almada would finish the 1938 season playing in 102 games for the Browns, hitting a career high .342.
Almada’s career would end quickly-he’d start the 1939 season for the Browns, appearing in 42 games before he was sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers, one year to the day after he arrived in St. Louis. The 26 year old Almada would play in 39 games for Brooklyn, ending his major league career in early October.
Stanley Joseph Galle (born Galazewski) B Feb. 7, 1919 D Jan. 28, 2006
Senators Short Timer Stan Galle would spend 1 month on the Washington roster in the spring of 1942. The 3rd baseman would go 2 for 18 at bat with 1 RBI.
Charles Devine Jamieson B Feb. 7, 1893 D Oct. 27, 1969
Outfielder Charlie Jamieson would make his major league debut with the Washington Senators in September of 1913. Playing in 17 games, Jamieson would hit .279.
Back with the Senators in 1916, Jamieson would appear in 64 games. He’d start the 1917 season with Washington but after 20 games, hitting just .171, he was waived by the Senators and signed by the Philadelphia Athletics, where he’d finish the season hitting .267 in 85 games.
Jamieson would spend 1918 with the A’s, playing in 110 games, his BA dropping to .202.
Traded to the Cleveland Indians before the start of the 1919 season, Jamieson would find a home and hone his hitting skills. Jamieson remained with the Indians through 1932, hitting over .300 in 10 seasons. Jamieson would make his only post season appearance with the Indians in 1920, hitting .333, as the Indians defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in 6 games.
Interestingly, Jamieson was pressed into duty as a pitcher with all 3 of the teams he played for, most impressively in 1918 when he was 2-1 for the A’s in 5 games.
Charlie Jamieson career record
Franklin James Kreutzer B Feb. 7, 1939 Still Living
Pitcher Frank Kreutzer was originally signed by the Boston Red Sox before the start of the 1961 season. He’d be drafted by the Chicago White Sox at the end of the season and make his first pitching appearance in September of 1962, pitching in 1 game.
Kreutzer would appear in just 1 game for the White Sox again in 1963 but would make the most of the opportunity, earning the win.
Starting the 1964 season in Chicago, Kreutzer was 3-1 with Chicago when he was sent to Washington in late July as the “player to be named later” in a deal that sent Joe Cunningham to Washington in exchange for Carl Bouldin and Bill (Moose) Skowron.
Finishing the 1964 season in Washington, Kreutzer was 2-6 in 13 games. He’d post an identical 2-6 record in 1965, appearing in 33 games.
In 1966, Kreutzer would be 0-5 in 9 games after being recalled from AAA Hawaii (Pacific Coast League) in late July.
Kreutzer would spend the next couple of years in the Senators minor league system before being brought up from Buffalo (International League) in early May of 1969. He’d pitch in just 4 games, his last appearance coming in mid-May, before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Jim Shellenback.
Kreutzer would never appear in the majors again.
Gerald Hal Lane B Feb. 7, 1926 D Jul. 24, 1988
Originally signed by the Boston Braves in 1948, pitcher Jerry Lane would be obtained as part of a minor league working agreement in 1950. He’d make his pitching debut with Washington in early July of 1953 and would post a 1-4 record in 20 games for the season.
Sold to the Cincinnati Reds in August of 1954, Lane would go 1-0 in 3 games for the Reds. He’d be 0-2 in games in 1955, his last major league appearance coming in early May.
Earl Oliver Whitehill B Feb. 7, 1899 D Oct. 22, 1954
Pitcher Earl Whitehill came to the majors in September of 1923 with the Detroit Tigers. He’d go 2-0 in 8 games the remainder of the 1923 season. 1924 would see Whitehill post a 17-9 record in Detroit with a 3.86 ERA. Whitehill would remain a regualr on the Tigers pitching staff through 1932, winning 17 games twice and 16 games in 3 different seasons.
Traded to Washington Senators for Firpo Marberry and Carl Fischer, Whitehill would have the only 20 wn season of his career, going 22-8 for Washington in 1933, helping the Senators win their third pennant. Whitehill would earn the only win for Washington in the 1933 World Series as they lost to the New York Giants in 5 games.
Whitehill would remain with Washington through 1936, winning 14 games in each of the next 3 seasons. After 1936, Whitehill would be prt of a 3-team trade that sent Whitehill to the Cleveland Indians, the Indians sending Thornton Lee to the Chicago White Sox and the White Sox sending Jack Salveson to Washington.
Whitehill would spend 1937 and 1938 with Cleveland, going 8-8 and 9-8 respectively, before receiving his release at the end of the 1938 season.
He’d be signed by the Chicago Cubs, where the 40 year old Whitehill would pitch in 24 games, posting a 4-7 record, his last major league appearance coming in late September of 1939.
