July 26
1916 – Tiger Harry Heilmann receives an ovation from the Detroit faithful for saving a drowning woman in the Detroit River last night. Heilmann and the Cats go out and defeat the Nats, 6-5, for the second consecutive day.
1918 – Time is quickly becoming the enemy of Washington with the last day of September 2 approaching. The Nats slow start to this season is coming back to haunt them, despite their 2 month run of hot play. The 3rd place Nats edge the Browns at Sportsman Park on this day, 3-2, to gain a game on front running Boston. Washington is 5.5 back at the end of play today.
1935 – Washington reliever Ed Linke is hospitalized for 2 days after getting hit in the head by a line drive from New York’s Jesse Hill. After striking Linke, the ball is caught on the fly by C Jack Redmond, who quickly fires to second to nab Ben Chapman for a painful 1-2-4 double play. With Heinie Manush clubbing 2 homers, one a slam, the Senators beat the Yankees, 9-3, at Yankee Stadium. The righthander Linke will get released from the hospital and come back to pitch again this season, posting an 11-7 record, with a high ERA of 5.01.
1959 – It’s losses 7 and 8 of a 19 game losing streak for the Senators. In Cleveland, the Tribe brooms the Sens in two, 9-0 and 4-3 in 12 innings. Jim Perry stifles the Senators on 2 hits in the first affair. The young Senators show character in the second match by bouncing back from a 3-0 hole to tie.
As often befits a young team, especially one that is in a slump, mistakes are made that prevents victories. The second game clearly illustrates this. Washington squanders a golden opportunity to go ahead in the 8th when Bob Allison becomes too aggressive on the base paths. With 1 out and Killebrew on first, Allison smacks a Bob Locke offering to left center for a hit. Killebrew easily makes it to third, but Allison is thrown out at second attempting to stretch a single into a double. Instead of a first and third, 1 out situation, there are now 2 outs with a man on third. Faye Thorneberry grounds out to end the threat. In the 10th, the Sens fail to convert again. Ken Aspromonte draws a leadoff walk and is sacrificed to second base. With the heart of the order, Killebrew, Roy Sievers and Allison, due up, the prospect of taking the lead looks promising. But Killebrew strikes out and Allison, after Sievers is intentionally walked, grounds out. The inevitable loss occurs when the Indians push across a run in the 12th, making Mudcat Grant the winner.
Senators Birthdays
James Henry Bloodworth B Jul. 26, 1917 D Aug. 17, 2002
Jimmy Bloodworth first played for the Senators in 1937 as a 19 year old rookie. Spending most of his time as a second baseman, Bloodworth would play in 15 games and hit .220.
He wouldn’t appear in the majors in 1938, but would return to the Senators in 1939 and stay through the 1941 season. He’d hit .289 in 1939 and stroke 11 homers in 1940. Traded to the Detroit Tigers, along with Doc Cramer in exchange for Frank Croucher and Bruce Campbell, he’d play for the Tigers through 1946, although he would not play in 1944 or 1945.
Bloodworth would be traded again to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he’d play in 88 games in 1947. After the season, he’d be traded again, this time to the Brooklyn Dodger organization but would not play in the majors in 1948.
He’d be traded again in late September of 1948 to the Cincinnati Reds where he’d spend the 1949 season.
After 4 games with the Reds in 1950, Bloodworth would be purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies. He’d appear in 1 game of the 1950 World Series, as the “Whiz Kid” Phillies were swept by the New York Yankees. Bloodworth would only play in 21 games with the Phillies in 1951 and would be given his release at the end of the season.
Jimmy Bloodworth career record
Richard Stanley Brodowski B Jul. 26, 1932 D Jan. 14, 2019
Dick Brodowski started his career as a 19 year old rookie with the Boston Red Sox in 1952. Going 5-5 with a 4.40 ERA, Brodowski wouldn’t return to the Red Sox until 1955 when he appeared in 16 games.
Traded by the Red Sox, along with Neil Chrisley, Tex Clevenger, Karl Olson and minor leaguer Al Curtis for Mickey Vernon, Bob Porterfield, Johnny Schmitz and Tom Umphlett, Brodowski would be on the Senators roster in 1956 & 1957.
He’d only play in 7 games in 1956, going 0-3, and 6 games in 1957 where he’d go 0-1.
In May of 1957, Brodowski was traded again, this time to the Cleveland Indians, along with Dick Tettelbach in exchange for Bob Usher.
Brodowski would appear on the Cleveland roster in 1958 & 1959, his career ending in early July of ’59.
Thomas Aloysius Crooke B Jul. 26, 1884 D Apr. 5, 1929
First baseman Tom Crooke appeared in a grand total of 11 games for the Senators, 3 games in 1909 and 8 games in 1910. He’d post a composite record of 6 hits in 28 at bats, with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs.
Samuel Pond (Sad Sam) Jones B Jul. 26, 1892 D Jul. 6, 1966
Sam Jones spent 22 years in the majors, from 1914 through 1935. During the course of those 22 seasons, he’d play for 6 of the 8 teams then in the American League.
Making his debut in 1914 with the Cleveland Indians, appearing in just 1 game, Jones would return with the Indians in 1915.
Traded to the Red Sox he’d spend 1916 through 1921 pitching in Boston.
Traded again, this time to the New York Yankees, Jones would spend 1922 through 1926 in New York.
Prior to the 1927 season, Jones would be traded again, this time to the St. Louis Browns. He’d play 1 season (1927) in St. Louis and then be traded again, this time with Milt Gaston, to the Washington Senators for Dick Coffman and Earl McNeely.
Jones would be a Senator from 1928 through 1931, posting records of 17-7 in 1928 and 15-7 in 1930.
After the 1930 season, he was traded one last time, this time to the Chicago White Sox, along with Bump Hadley and Jackie Hayes in exchange for Carl Reynolds and John Kerr.
Jones would remain with the White Sox through 1935, finishing the season, and his career, at age 43.
Jones would appear in 4 World Series: with the 1918 Red Sox and with the Yankees in 1922, 1923 & 1926.
Foster LeRoy Witherup B Jul. 26, 1886 D Dec. 23, 1941
Roy Witherup made his major league debut with the 1906 Boston Braves, appearing in 8 games, posting a 0-3 record.
Witherup would not play in the majors in 1907 but would return, this time in the American League, with the Washington Senators in 1908. He’d go 2-4 in 1908 and 1-5 in 1909, his major league career ending after 1909.
