June 15
1907 – The 20 year career of Lave Cross comes to an end when the Nationals release the 41 year old. Beginning his career in 1887 with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association, Cross would see time with the Philadelphia Athletics in the AA and the Philadelphia Quakers of the Players League. The well traveled veteran would also toil for the Phillies, Cardinals, Cleveland Spiders, Brooklyn Superbas and Connie Mack‘s A’s. Cross’ best seasons were with the Phils in the mid 1890’s and the A’s in the early 1900’s.
1921 – The original “Clown Prince of Baseball”, Al Schacht, picks up a relief win for the second day in a row. The 7-5 home victory over the Browns is Schacht’s 4th win of the year.
1923 – The bat of Chicago’s Bibb Faulk connects for a 3-run, pinch homer off Walter Johnson. The Nats are the victors of this contest in Washington, 8-6.
1924 – The “Old Fox” lives up to his word. Calling Clark Griffith on a promise that the “Old Fox” made to him 4 years previously, Schacht returns to the Senators as the 3rd base coach. The promise that Griffith made occurred on July 5, 1920. With a big crowd on hand at Griffith Stadium to watch the advertised Walter Johnson start against Babe Ruth and the high powered Yanks, Johnson is unable to pitch at the last minute due to a sore arm. Not wanting to disappoint the fans and ruin goodwill, Griffith had promised Schacht, who volunteered to replaC. Johnson that he would have a job for life if Schacht went out and won over the fans. Schacht did his part and won the fans over with a 7 hit, 9-3 win over the powerful Yanks.
1932 – Despite a HR and 3 singles from Heinie Manush, the Sens are clipped by the Tigers, 7-6 in the Motor City. Detroit’s Gee Walker doubles twice and steals home in the 4th.
1945 – The Nats participate in the first ever major league game to end after midnight in the second game of a twin-bill against visiting Boston. The opener is a defeat for the Senators in 14 frames, 6-5. With the nite-cap deadlocked at 4-4 after 13 innings, the game is called at 1:02 am due to curfew.
1951 – At the trade deadline, the Sens trade P Bob Kuzana to the Yankees for pitchers Fred Sanford, Tom Ferrick and Yanks farmhand Bob Porterfield. Porterfield will become the gem of the trade when he develops into Washington’s ace over the next 5 seasons.
1961 – It is a rarity that a team that loses 100 games holds a positive major league record, but the 1961 Senators can take some pride in one record. After today’s 5-2 victory in Baltimore, the expansion Senators sits in 4th place with a 30-30 record. It is the latest date that any expansion club will be at .500. The Sens will subsequently drop their next 10 games.
Senators Birthdays
Henry Ward (Heinie) Beckendorf B Jun. 15, 1884 D Sep. 15, 1949
Catcher Heinie Beckendorf began his 2 year major league career with the 1910 Detroit Tigers, appearing in 15 games where he hit .259. After 3 games with the Tigers in 1911, he joined the Senators, playing in 37 games. Unfortunately his BA would drop over 100 points and he would be gone from the Senators, and the major leagues after 1911.
“Heinie” Beckendorf career record
Alan Edward Closter B Jun. 15, 1943 Still living
A true “Senators Short Timer”, Al Closter would appear in 1 game in April for the 1966 Senators, pitching 1/3 of an inning, giving up 1 hit and 2 walks.
He’d return to the majors in 1971 with the New York Yankees going 2-2. In 1972 he appeared in 2 games for the Yankees and capped his major league stay with 4 games for the Atlanta Braves in 1973.
Edward Perry (Bud) Stewart B Jun. 15, 1916 D Jun. 21, 2000
Bud Stewart began his career patrolling the outfield for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1941 and 1942. He wouldn’t return to the major leagues until 1948 when he played for the Yankees for 6 games and then spent the remainder of 1948 as well as 1949 and 1950 in a Senators uniform.
He appeared in 118 games each season that he played for the Senators, posting a career best BA of .284 in 1949.
1951 through 1954 found Stewart in the service of the Chicago White Sox where he’d end his career in June of 1954.
Montgomery Morton (Monte) Weaver B Jun. 15, 1906 D Jun. 14, 1994
Monte Weaver was also known as “Prof”, short for professor. Prior to reaching the major leagues, Weaver had earned a master’s degree in mathematics and taught analytical geometry in college.
He began his baseball career in 1928 with Durham in the Piedmont League. In 1930 he was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles, then in the International League. Purchased by Washington from Baltimore in 1931, Weaver would be on the Senators roster from 1931-1938.
In 1932 he posted a 22-10 record with an ERA of 4.08. The Senators pennant winning season of 1933 saw him pitching in 23 games, compiling a 10-5 record with a 3.25 ERA.
Weaver was charged with the loss in the 4th game of the 1933 World Series, losing a heartbreaker 2-1 in the 11th inning.
Purchased by the Boston Red Sox during the offseason, the 1939 season would be his last in the majors, when he appeared in 9 games, posting a 1-0 record with a 6.64 ERA.
John Nicodemus Wilson B Jun. 15, 1890 D Sep. 23, 1954
Another “Senators Short Timer” who was on the Washington roster for 2 weeks in June of 1913, John Wilson appeared in 3 games, pitched 4 innings and left the Senators, and the majors, with a 4.50 ERA.
