Walter Johnson
May 10
May 10 was an eventful day in the colorful history of the Senators, particularly as it pertains to Walter Johnson and a variety of streaks and records by different players.
1909 – Walter Johnson suffers his second straight 1-0 shutout loss, this one to the White Sox at South Side Park. It is the third consecutive 1-0 loss for the Senators, tying the record set by the St. Louis Browns 2 weeks before. For Johnson, he would suffer 10 shutout losses for the season, establishing a 20th century ML record. Despite a 2.22 ERA, Johnson finishes the season at 13-25, the most losses of his legendary career.
1910 – The Washington Post, with managing editor Scott Bone as a substantial stockholder in the Senators ownership, opines that the Senators should “trade this phenom (Johnson) for a couple of good fielders.” The reason for the Post’s suggestion? The Big Train has a tough outing against Chicago, giving up 7 runs in 5 innings as the Sox rout the Sens 10-3 in Washington. Johnson recovers and begins to establish himself as a top tier pitcher going 25-17 with a 1.36 ERA.
1913 – Johnson tosses a 2 hitter as the Senators squeak by the White Sox 1-0 at Comiskey Park. Johnson runs his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 52 2/3. The streak would end at 55.2 innings, a ML record that would stand until 1968 when Don Drysdale of the Dodgers breaks it. Nonetheless, the scoreless innings streak is still the AL record. Johnson has his most dominant season and easily wins the AL MVP by winning 36, tossing 11 shutouts and posting a minuscule 1.14 ERA.
1936 – Lefty Grove of the Red Sox heads into his start at Washington having only given up 1 earned run in his previous 48 innings pitched. The Sens score 4 on Grove as Bobo Newsom, in his first tour of duty with the Senators, gets the 4-0 shutout win.
1938 – The Senators reel off their 7th consecutive victory by defeating the Browns in a slugfest at Griffith 8-6. With the win, the Sens move into 1st place with a 15-7 record. This would be the high point of the 1938 season as the Senators would gradually drift out of contention and finish in 5th place at 75-76.
1959 – In the Bronx, the Yanks sweep a doubleheader from the Senators winning 6-3 and 3-2 in 10 innings. Ken Aspromonte of Washington drives in all 3 Sens runs with a solo HR and a 2 run single in the first game as Chuck Stobbs takes the loss. Norm Siebern of the Yankees drives in the winning run in the 10th inning of the second game with a one out double off Camilio Pascual. Yogi Berra sets a ML record for catchers in the nightcap by handling his 148th consecutive error less game.
Senators Birthday
Newton Michael (Mickey) Grasso B May 10, 1920 D Oct. 15, 1975
Catcher Mickey Grasso first played in the major leagues with the New York Giants in 1946, appearing in 7 games. He returned to the majors in 1950, playing in Washington from 1950 through 1953. He appeared in just 4 games with the Cleveland Indians in 1954 and ended his career where it began, with the New York Giants in 1955.
His best year as a hitter came in 1950 when he had 56 hits in 195 AB, good for a .287 BA. He appeared in 115 games in 1952 but his BA dropped to .216 that season.
