September 25
1908 With Cleveland and Detroit neck and neck in a fierce battle for the pennant, the 7th place Nationals upset the 1st place Naps at Cleveland, 6-1. Washington plates 5 in the 9th off Charlie Chench. Naps owner Frank DeHass Robison collapses from a heart attack while listening on a telephone to the play by play of the Nat’s rally. Robison will die hours later.
1910 Playing out the string, the Nationals divide a pair at St. Louis. The Browns take the opener, 2-1, courtesy of a 2-run 7th inning. In the second game, Walter Johnson strikes out 11 and 1-hits the Browns, 3-0. The 303 strikeouts from Johnson this season bests Rube Waddell‘s record of 301 in 1903.
1932 90 wins is enough to win the National League pennant. In the American League, 93 wins is enough
for a 3rd place finish, where the Senators find themselves on this season’s final day. Washington holds off Philadelphia in Griffith, 2-1. Jimmie Foxx belts his 58th homer, 2 short of Babe Ruth‘s 60 in 1927, and wins the AL RBI crown with 169. General Crowder of Washington wins his 15th straight, 1 short of the AL record, and 26th overall. Perhaps, these Senators could have given the Yankees a better run in the World Series than the Cubs did.1933 Holding a closed practice in preparation for the upcoming World Series, Washington tests the NL’s less lively ball. After clouting 3 of the first 4 balls into the empty stands, Joe Cronin remarks that the ball “rides plenty” and also states “I’m in the wrong league.”
1953 The Sporting News pitcher of the year, Bob Porterfield, wins number 22 of the season in hurling his 9th shutout, blanking the A’s, 1-0. Three singles in the 9th win it for the Senators.
1962 Ho-hum. The Yankees capture the AL pennant with an 8-3 victory at Yankee Stadium. Mickey Mantle, what else, is 4-for-4 with 2 RBI. Yanks skipper Ralph Houk becomes the 5th manager to win pennants in his first two seasons, joining, among others, Washington’s own Bucky Harris.
1965 Nat killer Mudcat Grant bewilders Washington batsmen yet again. Grant wins his 20th for the Twins, one-hitting the Senators, 5-0, in game one. Don Blasingame‘s 3rd inning double is Washington’s only hit. Soon to be AL MVP Zoilo Versalles deposits 4 hits and 2 RBI to pace the Twins. Minnesota scores 3 in the top of the 8th of the nightcap to erase a 1 run Senators lead to win, 5-3.
Senators Birthdays
Paul Henry Hopkins B Sep. 25, 1904 D Jan. 2, 2004
Pitcher Paul Hopkins made his major league debut with the 1927 Senators in late September. Appearing in just 2 games, Hopkins would compile a 1-0 record in 9 IP, with a 5.00 ERA.
Returning to the Senators in 1929, Hopkins would pitch in 7 games, earning an 0-1 record with a 2.20 ERA.
Purchased by the St. Louis Browns in late June, Hopkins would pitch in just 2 more games and depart the major league scene.
