This Date in Washington Senators History – Johnson notches career strikeout number 3,000

July 22

1923 – Walter Johnson notches career strikeout number 3,000 in the Sens 3-1 victory at Cleveland. Johnson K’s 5
Indians and will finish his career with 3,508 strikeouts.

1932 – Poor base running plagues Washington in an 8-4 home loss to Philadelphia. The Senators rack up 15 hits of Rube Walberg, but are only able to plate 4 runs. Receiver Mickey Cochrane cycles, scores 3 times and drives in 4 for the Mackmen.

1940 – The Senators sell former slugger Zeke Bonura to the Cubs for $10,000. Bonura, in his second stint in Washington, had been batting .273 with only 3 home runs. The Cubs will the final destination of Bonura’s career.

1952 – Eddie Yost smacks a leadoff single on the first pitch of the game off the Bengals Virgil Trucks. However, the Nats bats fall silent as that will be the only hit that Trucks surrenders. Detroit noses the Nats, 1-0.

1965 – Pete Richert continues the Senators run of quality pitching by striking out 7 over 8.2 innings in a 5-1 victory over California at DC Stadium. Richert also stars at the plate, with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Richert’s 2-run single in the 2nd is the game winning RBI.

Senators Birthdays

Roger Maxwell (Doc) Cramer B Jul. 22, 1905 D Sep. 9, 1990

Doc Cramer began his 20 year major league career with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929, and remained in the major leagues through 1948. However, only 1 of those 20 seasons would be in a Senators uniform. Cramer would return with the Athletics in 1930 and stay with the Athletics through 1935, hitting .336 in 1932 and .332 in 1935.

Traded to the Red Sox prior to the 1936 season, Cramer would spend the next 5 seasons in Boston, hitting .292 in 1936 and over .300 in the 4 following years.

After the 1940 season, Cramer would be traded to the Washington Senators for Gee Walker. In his only season in Washington, Cramer would play in all 154 games, batting .273 with 25 doubles, 6 triples and 2 home runs.

After the season he was traded again, this time to the Detroit Tigers, along with Jimmy Bloodworth, in exchange for Frank Croucher and Bruce Campbell. This would be Cramers last stop in his career. He’d play for the Tigers from 1942 through 1948, finally getting his release in May.

Cramer had an impressive career, playing in 2239 games and collectively hitting .296.

He was selected to 5 different All Star teams, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939 & 1940, starting in right field for the 1939 contest.

He also appeared in 2 World Series, with the 1931 Athletics and the 1945 Tigers, going 12 for 31 (.387 BA), with 6 RBI and 7 runs scored.

“Doc” Cramer career record

Herbert Lee Herring B Jul. 22, 1891 D Apr. 22, 1964

Pitcher Herb Herring pitched in 1 game on September 4th of 1912. Appearing in just 1 inning, he’d give up 1 walk, but no runs, and not appear in the major leagues again.

Herb Herring career record

Alfred Anthony LaMacchia B Jul. 22, 1921 D Sep 15, 2010

Another pitcher, Al LaMacchia would first show up in the majors in late September of 1943 with the St. Louis Browns, pitching in 1 game.

He’d return to the Browns in 1945, this time appearing in 5 games, pitching 9 innings and finishing the season with a 2-0 record.

LaMacchia would start the 1946 season with the Browns but would be traded in mid-June, along with Joe Grace, to the Senators for Jeff Heath.

Playing in just 2 games for Washington, LaMacchia would finish his time with the Senators, and his career, 2 weeks after being traded.

Al LaMacchia career record

Pinson Lamar (Phil) McCullough B Jul. 22, 1917 D Jan. 16, 2003

Another One Game Wonder, Phil McCullough‘s proverbial Cup Of Coffee would be served in the Senators Coffee Shop on April 22nd of 1942. Pitching 3 innings, McCullough would give up 5 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), strike out 2 and walk 2, and depart with an ERA of 6.00.

Phil McCullough career record

R. C. Stevens B Jul. 22, 1934 D Nov 20, 2010

R. C. Stevens (No first name-just “R. C.”) was a first baseman who began his short career in the majors with the 1958 Pittsburgh Pirates. Playing in 59 games, he’d hit .267. In 1959 he’d only play in 3 games in Pittsburgh and 1960 would find him in just 9 more games in a Pittsburgh uniform.

Traded to the expansion Senators, with Harry Bright and Bennie Daniels in exchange for Bobby Shantz, Stevens would play in 33 games for Washington. He’d hit .129 going 8 for 62 with 7 walks and 2 RBI’s. He’d make his final appearance in the majors on June 10th of 1961.

R. C. Stevens career record