May 20
1909 – After opening the season with 5 losses, Walter Johnson picks up his first victory over the Naps at Cleveland 3-2.
1920 – Deadlocked at the end of 14 innings at 3, the White Sox and Senators each score twice in the 15th. In the top of the 16th, the Pale Hose explode for 8 runs, a ML record for runs scored by a team in the 16th inning, as the Nats lose 13-5.
1948 – At St. Louis, the Sens get trounced by the Browns 17-7. The 17 runs is the most allowed by the Sens this year.
1952 – In his third year in the bigs, 40 year old P Connie Marrero shuts out the Browns at Sportsman Park 2-0. 1952 would be Marrero’s best season with a 11-8 record and a 2.88 ERA.
Claude Osteen
1962 – The Sens and Kansas City A’s split a doubleheader in D.C. Claude Osteen‘s solid start goes for naught as he surrenders a ninth inning homer to Manny Jimenez for a 1-0 A’s win in the opener. The Sens avoid the broom by pulling out a 7-5 victory in the second game.
1965 – At Tiger Stadium, the Senators blow 1 run leads in the 9th and 10th innings of a 9-8 defeat to the Tigers. After the Nats score 2 in the top of the 9th to take a 7-6 lead, Detroit C Bill Freehan ties it in the bottom frame with an RBI double. In the top of the 10th, PH Don Lock regains the Senators lead with a solo HR off Tiger P Ron Nischwitz. Now winning 8-7 in the bottom of the 10th, Sens P Marshall Bridges gives up a 2 run, game winning HR to Senators nemesis Dick McAuliffe.
1966 – Trailing the California Angels 5-2 going into the bottom of the 8th, the Sens stage a comeback. A 2 run HR by C Paul Casanova and a RBI single from RF Fred Valentine ties the game in the 8th. Frank Howard‘s RBI single in the bottom of the 9th off Angels P Lew Burdette completes the comeback and the Nats 6-5 win.
1969 – The Senators record their first ever victory over the Seattle Pilots at RFK 6-5. Mike Epstein‘s socks a 2 run homer in the 8th to put the Sens in the lead for good. Dennis Higgins gets the victory, while Seattle’s Marty Pattin absorbs the loss.
Senators Birthdays
Peter William Appleton* B May 20, 1904 D Jan. 18, 1974
*=Baseball Reference notes that Pete Appleton was born “Peter William Jablonoski” and legally changed his name to Appleton in 1933.
Pete Appleton played 14 years in the big leagues, from 1927 through 1945 although he did not appear in the majors in 1934 or 1935. Starting with the 1927 Cincinnati Reds, his career saw him on the rosters of the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Washington Senators (twice), Chicago White Sox and the St. Louis Browns. After appearing in 1 game for the 1933 Yankees, Appleton wouldn’t appear in a major league game again until 1936 when he was picked up by the Senators. A pitcher, Appleton’s best season was 1936 when he appeared in 38 games for Washington, going 14-9 with an ERA of 3.53.
After the ’39 season, he was traded to the White Sox, along with Taffy Wright for Gee Walker.
Joseph Harris B May 20, 1891 D Dec. 10, 1959
Joe Harris was another player who bounced around the majors, playing for 6 teams in a 10 year career that included some “broken service”. Primarily a first baseman, Harris also played in the outfield and could fill in at short and 3rd. Appearing in 2 games for the 1914 Yankees, Harris would show up in the majors again with the Cleveland Indians in 1917 & 1919 and not return again until he made the Red Sox roster in 1922. He appeared in 192 games with the Senators in 1925 & 1926, hitting .323 with 12 home runs in 1925. From Washington, he headed west, to spend 1927 and a portion of 1928 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and finished the season, and his major league career with the 1928 Brooklyn Robins.
Tom Stephen (Plowboy) Morgan B May 20, 1930 D Jan. 13, 1987
Appearing in 14 games with the 1960 Senators, where he went 1-3 with an ERA of 3.75, Tom Morgan started with the Yankees in 1951 and ended his career with the 1963 Los Angeles Angels. His 8-2 record with the 1961 Angels was his best season. Morgan also appeared on the roster of the Kansas City Athletics and the Detroit Tigers.
Earl Wellington Rapp B May 20, 1921 D Feb. 13, 1992
Outfielder Earl Rapp played for 5 teams while only spending 3 years in the major leagues. Splitting 1949 between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox, Rapp returned to the majors in 1951 splitting that season between the New York Giants and the St. Louis Browns. He returned with the Browns in 1952 only to be sent to the Washington Senators after appearing in 30 games for St. Louis. He appeared in an additional 46 games for the Senators and then disappeared from the major league scene. He actually had a couple of decent half seasons, hitting .327 in 26 games for the 1951 Browns and .284 in 46 games for the ’52 Senators. I think the poor guy just tired of moving.
Jose Antonio Sanchez Zardon B May 20, 1923 D March 21, 2017
Appearing for just 1 season (1945) with the Senators, Jose Zardon hit .290, appearing in 54 games and playing in the outfield for the Senators.
