July 4
I hope everyone is enjoying their July 4th holiday. Please do not forget the men and women who have fought and sacrificed for our freedom and the gentlemen who risked facing death by signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I also salute all the great leaders, inventors, scientists, etc., who, through our history, have made our country the best in the world.
1923 – The Nationals give up 24 runs in today’s doubleheader debacle in New York. The Yanks rout Washington 12-6 and 12-2, with Walter Johnson the loser in game two. In the 4 game series, the Bombers bludgeon Nats pitching for 39 runs.
1927 – Whatever hope that the Senators had of catching league leading New York is obliterated in today’s doubleheader fiasco at Yankee Stadium. The Senators see their 10-game winning streak wrecked in, 12-1 and 21-1, Yankee cakewalks. Every New York starter in both games collects at least one hit, except for P Wilcy Moore, the second game winner.
1930 – Babe Ruth swats his 32nd in game two, but the Nats come away with the win, 7-3. In the lid lifter, “Sad” Sam Jones of the Nats shuts down his ex-mates, 8-0.
1932 – The Senators sweep the Yankee’s on this Independence Day two for one special, 5-3 and 12-6, in New York. C Bill Dickey of the Yanks breaks Carl Reynolds jaw with a punch, after Reynolds slams into Dickey on a successful squeeze attempt in the finale. Dickey earns a 30 day suspension and a $1,000 fine. Bucky Harris and Heinie Manush of the Sens both homer in the second game.
1939 – Lou Gehrig gives his famous “I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech in an emotional Yankee Stadium in between games. The Iron Horse’s number 4 becomes the first number in ML history to be retired. Meanwhile, the two teams split the contests. Dutch Leonard knuckleball stymies the New Yorkers, 3-2, in the opener, while the Yanks, inspired by Gehrig’s heartfelt speech, come out and hammer the Nats, 11-1, in the nightcap.
1945 – The AL schedule makers give the Senators/Yankees July 4th doubleheader a break. This season, the Nats find themselves in Chicago for the holiday twin bill. With Washington’s Harland Clift leading the way with 3 homers and 9 RBI overall in both matches, the Sens broom the White Sox, 5-4 in 12 and 11-2. Sens game one starter Marino Pieretti pitches all 12 frames for his 9th victory.
1950 – At Griffith, the Yankees parade 12 runs across the plate in the final 3 innings for a 16-9 Nats defeat. Mickey Vernon and Joe DiMaggio trade bases loaded triples to tie an AL mark for bases loaded triples by 2 teams in a game. The second game ends in a 3-3 tie after 9 innings.
1960 – Nats P Hal Woodeshick is the victim of Mickey Mantle‘s 300th career home run, a 3-run shot in the 1st. Washington, nonetheless, prevails, 9-8. CF Pete Whisenant and 2B Billy Gardner combine for 6 hits and 4 RBI’s in the come from behind Senator victory.
1961 – Despite some wildness (5 walks), Tom Cheney makes his Senator debut a success, winning a 7-3 decision over the guest Red Sox. Gene Woodling, Gene Green and Willie Tasby homer for Washington.
1968 – RF Ed Stroud collects 4 hits, 2 doubles and 2 triples, as the Senators defeat the visiting Yankees, 4-2. The win goes to Jim Hannan, now 3-1 on the season.
Senators Birthdays
6 “Yankee Doodle Dandys”, born on the 4th of July, have appeared in Senators uniforms over the years. However, with one notable exception, all had rather short stays in Washington or in the majors.
William Jennings Kenworthy B July 4, 1886 D Sep. 21, 1950
Bill Kenworthy got his start in the major leagues in 1912 with the Senators. Appearing in 12 games as an outfielder, Kenworthy would hit .237.
He’d return to the majors with the Kansas City Packers of the Federal League in 1914 & 1915, finding himself stationed at 2nd base. 4 games with the 1917 St. Louis Browns would round out his major league experience.
Wescott William Kingdon B July 4, 1900 D Apr. 19, 1975
“One Season Wonder” Wes Kingdon appeared in 18 games for the Senators in 1932. Playing shortstop and 3rd base, he hit a very respectable .324 but was gone from the Senators, and the major leagues, in early August of that season.
Robert Edward Malkmus B July 4, 1931 Still Living
Originally appearing in 13 games with the 1957 Milwaukee Braves, Bobby Malkmus would play for the Senators in 1958 and 1959.
Malkmus appeared in 41 games in 1958 at 2nd & 3rd bases and shortstop but would only hit .186. In 1959 he appeared in only 6 games for Washington.
He’d finish his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, playing for the Phils from 1960-1962.
George Joseph (Wabash George) Mullin B July 4, 1880 D Jan. 7, 1944
George Mullin spent 14 years in the major leagues, the majority of that time with the Detroit Tigers. A pitcher with a 228-196 career record, Mullin first played with the Tigers in 1902. He remained in Detroit through a portion of the 1913 season, playing on the pennant winning teams of 1907, 1908 and 1909. He posted a 3-3 record in 3 World Series.
In May of 1913 he was purchased by the Senators. He only ever appeared in 11 games in a Washington uniform, going 3-5.
Prior to the 1914 season, he joined (“jumped”) the Indianapolis Hoosiers of the Federal League. The Indianapolis franchise shifted to Newark, NJ in 1915, where Mullin would play in 6 final games as a member of the Newark Peppers.
Robert Hayes Murray B July 4, 1894 D Jan. 4, 1979
Another Senators Short Timer, Bobby Murray played 3rd in 10 games with the 1923 Senators, batting .189.
Michael Raymond Palagyi B July 4, 1917 D Nov 21, 2013
Mike Palagyi pitched in 1 game for the Senators in 1939. It was probably a day that Palagyi would like to forget-he walked 3, hit 1 batter and gave up 3 runs before being pulled without ever recording an out. That unfortunate circumstance would put Palagyi in the record books as 1 of 11 pitchers in major league history to have an infinite ERA for their career record.
Finally, on a humorous note, Morganna (The Kissing Bandit) Roberts was born on this date in 1954. Senators fans may still recall when Morganna once kissed 6′ 7″ Frank Howard in a “cheeky” appearance at the 1970 home opener on April 6, 1970. Something must have inspired Howard-he had 3 of Washington’s 7 hits in a 5-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
