This Date in Washington Senators History – ’24 Senators take one game lead over Yankees

September 19

1904 – Possibly the worst baseball team to represent Washington in its history, the Nationals lose their 100th game of the year, 4-3, to the Highlanders. Washington will complete their season on October 10th at 38-113, 55.5 games out of first.

1924 – Washington moves a game in front of New York with a 15-9 win in St. Louis, while the Yanks lose in Detroit.

1925 – Looking like a last place team mailing it in, the Nats are shellacked in Griffith by Chicago, 17-0, in a game called after 6 and a half innings. The Pale Hose outhit the Nats 26-1, with the lone Washington safety collected by Bobby Veach. Sam Rice‘s streak of 9 straight hits is halted by winner Ted Lyons. Despite the wretched performance, the Senators are firmly entrenched in 1st place by 7.5 games.

1926 – Ty Cobb comes off the bench and laces a pinch single in the bottom of the 9th to give the Tigers an 8-7 victory. Walter Johnson gets the loss, giving up 2 runs in the 9th.

1944 – The Nats go winless at Comiskey this season (0-11) after the White Sox take a doubleheader. Behind the pitching of Thorton Lee and Eddie Lopat, Chicago snuffs out the Nats, 9-3 and 2-0.

1956 – On a rainy, cold day by the lake, Cleveland walks all over Washington, 6-0, in a game that is called in the 7th. Tribe hurler Bob Lemon wins his 20th, the 7th season that he has recorded 20 or more wins. A sparse gathering of 365 fans show up for the game.

1970 – The brothers Conigliaro, Tony and Billy of Boston, homer in the same game. Billy socks a 4th inning homer of Jim Hannan and Tony blasts a home run of Joe Grzenda in the 7th, as the Red Sox pummel the Senators, 11-3, in the nightcap at Fenway. In Washington’s game one, 7-3, loss, Frank Howard strikes out 5 times, 4 against starter Ken Brett and 1 against reliever Gary Wagner.

Senators Birthdays

Murray Wesley Wall B Sept 19, 1926 D Oct 8, 1971

A strapping righthander, Wall was signed originally by the Boston Braves in 1950 and appeared in 1 game that year. After that lone outing, the Braves sent Wall to the minors, not to be seen for 7 years.

Wall reemerged with the Red Sox in 1957, seeing action in 11 relief outings, posting a 3-0, 3.33 ERA. The next season, the Dallas native became a workhorse out of the Sox bullpen. In 52 games, Wall would go 8-9 with an ERA of 3.62.

A bad start to 1959 would find Wall on the move. On June, 11 the Nats acquired Wall and Billy Consolo from the Sox for Herb Plews and Dick Hyde. Wall would only appear in 1 game for Washington, giving up 3 hits and 1 run in 1.1 innings, for a 6.75 ERA. That lone appearance was enough for the Senators to return Wall to the Red Sox on June 14. He would pitch his last game in the majors in July of that year.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/play…php?p=wallmu01

Harry Felton (Larry) Schlafly B Sept 19, 1878 D June 27, 1919

Larry Schlafly burst onto the scene in 1902 with the Cubs. In 10 games, Schlafly batted at a healthy .323 clip, with 5 RBI. Chicago must not have been that impressed since he would not see a major league diamond again until 1906.

Selected by Washington from Portland of the PCL in Rule 5 major league draft prior to 1906, Schlafly would become the Nats regular 2B that year. In 123 games, Schafly hit .246 with 2 HR and 30 RBI, while leading the AL in hit by pitches with 14.

In June of 1907, Schlafly was put on waivers by the Nationals, thanks to a .135 average. Claimed by the Boston Americans, Schafly would promptly be dealt by Boston to Toronto of the Eastern League.

Seven years later, Schlafly would have his swan song with the Federal League’s Buffalo Buffeds as a player/manager. Inserting himself into 52 games, the skipper batted .260 with 19 RBI, before devoting his concertration to managing only for 1915. Schlafly directed the Buffeds to an 80-71, 4th place finish in 1914 and a 13-28 mark before being let go in June of 1915.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/play…hp?p=schlala01