March 2
Senators Birthdays
Orville Martin Armbrust B Mar. 2, 1905 D Oct. 2, 1967
Senators Short Timer Orville Armbrust spent 12 days on the Washington roster in September of 1934. Pitching in 3 games, Armbrust would post a 1-0 record with a 2.13 ERA.
Orville Armbrust career record
Morris (Moe) Berg B Mar. 2, 1902 D May 29, 1972
Moe Berg
A learned scholar who studied languages and had a degree in law, Berg was signed by the Brooklyn Robins in late June of 1923. Berg would appear in 23 games for the Robins, hitting .186 in his rookie season.
Out of the major leagues in 1924 and 1925, Berg would be selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox, making his way back to the majors in 1926, playing in 41 games. Originally a shortstop, Berg would be converted to a catcher after 3 White Sox catchers went down in a 1 week span.
Berg would remain with the White Sox through 1930, the most active season of his career being 1929 when he’d play in 107 games, hitting .287.
Purchased by the Cleveland Indians before the start of the 1931 season, Berg would play in just 10 games for the Indians.
Released after the season, Berg would sign on with the Washington Senators in April of 1932. Berg would play in Washington in 1932, 1933 and a portion of 1934. He’d appear in 75 games with Washington in 1932, hitting .236.
Released by Washington in late July of 1934, Berg would sign on with Cleveland for a second stint 3 days later where he’d finish the 1934 campaign.
Given a second release by Cleveland after the 1934 season, Berg would sign on with the Boston Red Sox in April of 1935 where he’d spend the remainder of his career, his last major league game coming in September of 1939.
His baseball career over, Berg would join the OSS (Office of Strategic Services, a forerunner to today’s CIA) and would spend a part of World War II behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Europe trying to ascertain the German nuclear capability.
A writeup on Berg’s career both in and out of baseball can be found here: Moe Berg writeup on Wikipedia
Peter Sven Broberg B Mar. 2, 1950 Still Living
Originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 1968 amateur draft, pitcher Pete Broberg chose not to sign with Oakland.
3 years later, Broberg would be drafted again, this time by the Washington Senators. He’d sign with Washington and would make his major league debut less than 2 weeks later in late June of 1971.
Pitching for the expansion Senators as they played their last season in Washington, Broberg would post a 5-9 record with a 3.47 ERA.
Moving with the franchise to Texas, Broberg would spend the next 3 years with the Rangers.
Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers after the 1974 season, Broberg would have his most active season with the Brewers in 1975 when he’d go 14-16 with a 4.13 ERA.
Broberg would spend 1976 with the Brewers as well. After the season he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the expansion draft but would be traded to the Chicago Cubs at the start of the 1977 season.
Pitching for the Cubs in 1977, Broberg would go 1-2 in 22 games.
Granted free agency after the season, Broberg would sign on with the Oakland Athletics where he’d appear in 35 games, posting a 10-12 record.
Granted free agency again, Broberg would be signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but would be released before the start of the season, his major league travels coming to an end.
Richard Eugene Starr B Mar. 2, 1921 D Jan. 18, 2017
Another player who finished his career in Washington, pitcher Dick Starr was originally signed by the New York Yankees before the start of the 1941 season. He’d finally make it to the majors with the Yankees as a 26 year old rookie in September of 1947. Pitching in 4 games, Starr would post a 1-0 record with a 1.46 ERA.
Starr would pitch in just 1 games with the Yankees in 1948 and after the season would be traded to the St. Louis Browns.
Starr would go 1-7 with the Browns in 1949 but would turn that around in 1950 when he’d go 7-5 although his ERA would be a rather lofty 5.02.
Starting the 1951 season with St. Louis Starr would be 2-5 in 15 games when he was traded to the Washington Senators for Fred Sanford.
Starr would finish the 1951 season, and his career, with the Senators going 1-7 in 11 games, his last major league appearance coming in late September.
