September 8
1917 – The Nats and Yankees exchange shutouts in a pair in D.C. New York’s Ray “Slim” Caldwell’s 2-0, game one blanking is his first shutout of the year. In the second game, Nats P Doc Ayers whitewashes the Yanks, 5-0, the 3rd time Ayers has defeated New York in 8 days.
1924 – The road to the Nats first ever AL flag will be a tough haul. Today, Washington begins a 3 week, 20 game
road trip to end the season with stops in every AL city except New York. The Nats get the road trip off on the right foot in Philadelphia, winning 8-4. Walter Johnson wins his 10th straight and number 20 overall. The 2nd place Yankees keep pace with a win in Boston, remaining 2 games back of the Senators.
1945 – President Harry Truman throws out the first ball and watches the 2nd place Nats, 4-1, victory over St. Louis. Former Brown Pete Appleton tosses a 5-hitter against his ex-mates. The Senators cannot make headway in the standings, staying at 1.5 games behind, thanks to league leading Detroit’s victory at New York.
1951 – On Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees honor former manager Joe McCarthy and defeat the Senators, 4-0. Yanks rookie Mickey Mantle snaps a scoreless tie in the 7th with an estimated 460 foot home run to right off Bob Porterfield.
1958 – Fearing that a move of the Senators would result in congressional action, AL owners pressure Calvin Griffith to keep the Senators in Washington. After the special meeting of the AL owners is adjourned in Chicago, Griffith notifies Minneapolis officials that the team will be staying in Washington. For now.
Senators Birthdays
Louis Mortimer Sleater B Sep. 8, D Mar 25, 2013
Lou Sleater pitched for 6 teams over 7 seasons and was the property of at least 3 other organizations as he made his way through the major leagues.
Originally signed by the Boston Braves in 1946, he’d be released and sign with the Chicago Cubs in 1947. The New York Giants would purchase his contract in 1950, however he’d be waivered and selected by the St. Louis Browns.
Finally making it to the major leagues with the Browns in 1951, where he’d pitch 1 solitary inning, he’d be purchased by the New York Yankees at the end of July but returned to the Browns in mid-September.
In 1952, Sleater would finally stay in the majors, at least for a while, as he appeared in 20 games for the Browns, pitching in 81 innings, posting a 1-9 record with a 5.11 ERA.
Back with the Browns for the start of the 1952 season, Sleater would appear in 18 games, going 0-1 and then be traded in mid-May, along with Fred Marsh, to the Washington Senators for Cass Michaels. Finishing the 1952 campaign in Washington, Sleater would post a 4-2 record with the Senators.
Sold to Toronto of the International League, Sleater would not see major league action in 1953 or 1954 as his contract was once again purchased by the New York Yankees. Prior to the start of the 1955 season, Sleater would find his contract purchased again, this time by the newly-relocated Kansas City Athletics.
After going 1-1 in 16 games for Kansas City in ’55, Sleater would be drafted by the organization where it all started, the Braves, now playing in Milwaukee. Sleater would appear in 25 games in a Braves uniform in 1956, posting a 3-3 record with a 3.15 ERA.
Released by the Braves at the start of 1957, he’d be picked up by the Detroit Tigers where he’d have his most active season in 1958, pitching in 41 games, going 3-3 with an ERA of 3.76.
Sleater started the 1958 season in Detroit, appearing in 4 games, pitching just 5.1 innings before being purchased one last time by the Baltimore Orioles, where he’d pitch in 6 games, post a 1-0 record but would see his ERA increase to an ugly 12.86.
Sleater wouldn’t appear with the Orioles in 1959 and was given his release at the end of the 1959 season, closing the book on the “Lou Sleater Major League Travelogue”.
Valentine John Picinich B Sep. 8, 1896 D Dec. 5, 1942
September 8th must be the day of the “Travelin’ Man” as our next birthday boy, catcher Val Picinich, was another wanderer who spent 18 years in the major leagues with 6 different teams.
Debuting way back in 1916 with the Philadelphia Athletics, Picinich played in 40 games in his rookie season, hitting just .195. Pichinich would play in just 2 games for the A’s in 1917.
On the Senators roster from 1918 through 1922, Picinich would have his best season at the plate in 1921, hitting .277 in 45 games, going 39 for 141 with 9 doubles and 12 RBIs.
Traded to the Boston Red Sox prior to the start of the 1923 season, along with Ed Goebel and Howie Shanks for Muddy Ruel and Allen Russell, Picinich would remain in Boston through 1925.
Purchased by the Cincinnati Reds, Picinich would spend 1926 through 1928 in Cincinnati and would be traded at the start of the 1929 season to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Picinich would remain in Brooklyn through mid-May of 1933 when he was released after appearing in just 6 games. Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Picinich would finish his career with the Pirates that season.
The final line on Picinich-1037 games, 2877 AB, 743 hits including 166 doubles, 26 triples, 26 home runs, and a career BA of .258.
