March 20
Senators Birthdays
John Joseph Boehling B Mar. 20, 1891 D Sep. 8, 1941
Pitcher Joe Boehling would join the Senators in late June of 1912. Appearing in just 3 games, Boehling would hurl 5 innings, surrendering 4 hits, 4 runs, 6 walks, 2 hit batsman and 2 wild pitches. Boehling would return with the Senators in 1913 and have a good season, posting a 17-7 record in 38 games, finishing the season with a 2.14 ERA.
Boehling would remain with the Senators through mid-August of 1916. He’d compile records of 12-8 in 1914, 14-13 in 1915 (His most active season when he’d appear in 40 games.) and 9-11 in 1916, appearing in 27 games. Traded to the Cleveland Indians, along with Danny Moeller for Joe Leonard and Elmer Smith, Boehling would finish the 1916 season with the Indians going 2-4 in 12 games.
Boehling would appear in another 12 games for Cleveland in 1917, posting a 1-6 record. Out of the majors in 1918 and 1919, Boehling would be back for 3 last games in 1920, going 0-1 with a 4.85 ERA, his last major league appearance coming in early June.
Lloyd Vernon Kennedy B Mar. 20, 1907 D Jan. 28, 1993
Vern Kennedy is another of those baseball nomads who would spend 12 years in the major leagues with 7 different teams, including a relatively brief stay with the Senators.
Arriving in the majors as a 27 year old rookie with the Chicago White Sox in mid-September of 1934, pitcher Kennedy would go 0-2 in 3 games.
Back with Chicago in 1935, Kennedy would pitch in 31 games, posting an 11-11 record. In 1936 he’d inprove to 21-9 and would be selected to the American League All Star Team. He’d go 14-13 in 1937.
Traded to the Detroit Tigers after the 1937 season, Kennedy would go 12-9 for the Tigers in 1938 and would receive his second All Star Team selection. Starting the 1939 season in Detroit, Kennedy would be 0-3 with the Tigers when he’d be traded to the St. Louis Browns in mid-May. He’d finish the 1939 campaign going 9-17 for St. Louis in 33 games.
Kennedy would remain with the Browns through mid-May of 1941 when he was packing his suitcase again, this time traded to the Washington Senators for Rick Ferrell. While with Washington, Kennedy would post a 1-7 record in 17 games. After the 1941 season, Kennedy was purchased by the Cleveland Indians where he’d spend 1942, 1943 (Going 10-7 that season.) and part of 1944.
Sold to the Philadelphia Phillies (Known as the Blue Jays at the time.) Kennedy would finish the 1944 season going 1-5 in 12 games. Starting 1945 with Philadelphia, Kennedy was 0-3 when he was acquired by the Cincinnati Reds.
Kennedy would finish the 1945 season, and his major league career, posting a 5-12 record with Cincinnati, his last major league appearance coming in late September.
Stanley Orville Spence B Mar. 20, 1915 D Jan. 6, 1983
Stan Spence
Outfielder (and occasional 1st baseman) Stan Spence came to the majors in early June of 1940 with the Boston Red Sox. Appearing in 51 games that first season, Spence would hit .279 in 51 games. Back with the Red Sox in 1941, Spence would appear in 86 games, his BA slipping to .232.
Traded to the Washington Senators, along with Jack Wilson in exchange for Ken Chase and Johnny Welaj, Spence would spend the next 5 seasons in a Senators uniform as a regular in the Senators outfield, missing the 1945 season during World War II.
He’d hit .323 in 1942 and .316 in 1944 and would lead the American League in triples in 1942 with 15. He’d stroke 18 home runs in 1944. Spence would be named to the American League All Star Team 4 times during his time with Washington in 1941, 1944, 1946 and 1947. He’d be the starting right fielder for the AL in 1944.
Traded back to the Red Sox after the 1947 season for Leon Culberson and Al Kozar, Spence would appear in 114 games, his average dropping to .235 after some fairly successful seasons at the plate in Washington.
Starting the 1949 season with the Red Sox, Spence would appear in just 7 games for Boston before he was traded 1 last time to the St. Louis Browns where he’d finish the 1949 season, and his career, hitting .245 in 104 games.
