September 22
1917 Do not laugh at Ty Cobb, even if you are the greatest pitcher of all time. When Walter Johnson strikes the Peach out in the 1st, Johnson laughs about it. A motivated Cobb comes to the plate in the top of the 3rd, with 2 Tigers aboard. Cobb gets his revenge by lacing an inside-the-park home run, the only homer Johnson allows to Cobb in his career. Detroit wins, 4-3.
1924 For his 13th straight win, the Big Train rolls over Chicago, 8-3, at Comiskey. It is the Big Train’s 23rd victory of the season. Meanwhile, the Yankees win in Cleveland to remain 2 games out of 1st place.
1935 In D.C. the Nats bash Philadelphia in two, 10-2 and 11-1. Winner Bobo Newsom falls a home run short of cycling in the opener. One year wonder Sammy Holbrook triples and knocks in 3 in the finale.
1945 Roger Wolff‘s 20th win keeps the Senators faint pennant hopes alive. Wolff blanks the A’s in
roger-wolff
Philadelphia, 2-0, to keep the Sens 1.5 games back with 2 games left on the schedule.
1951 Irv Noren has a busy day in CF, recording an AL tying 11 putouts. Noren’s Nats clouts the home Athletics, 9-1.
1954 Trailing 1-0 to the Yankees in the top of the 6th, the Senators first two hitters reach base. With runners stationed at 1st and 2nd, Mickey Vernon lines into a 3-6 triple play to douse the Nats threat. Behind the batting of Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra and the pitching of Tommy Byrne, the Yankees come out on top, 3-0.
Senators Birthdays
Kenneth Joseph Aspromonte B Sep. 22, 1931 Still Living
Brooklyn born Ken Aspromonte spent 7 seasons in the major leagues, playing for 6 different teams, including 2 separate stints in a Cleveland uniform.
Originally signed by the Boston Red Sox, Aspromonte wouldn’t debut in the majors until 1957, when he’d play in 24 games for Boston. Returning with the Red Sox in 1958, he’d be traded to Washington after just 6 games for Lou Berberet.
Aspromonte would hit .225 in 92 games with Washington in 1958, and .244 in 1959, appearing in 70 games.
After just 4 games in 1960, Aspromonte would be traded to the Cleveland Indians for Pete Whisenant. Finishing the year in Clevelend, Aspromonte would have his best year at the plate, hitting .290 in 117 games with 20 doubles and 10 home runs.
Selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the expansion draft, Aspromonte would play in 66 games for the fledgling Angels, being waived in early July. He’d be picked up by the Indians where he’d finish the 1961 season. After 20 games with Cleveland in 1962, he’d be traded to the Milwaukee Braves where he’d finish the season.
Traded to the Chicago Cubs prior to the 1963 campaign, Aspromonte would play in just 20 games for the Cubs, hitting just .147. He’d be given his release at the start of the 1964 season, ending his major league career.
Harry James Bright B Sep. 22, 1929 D Mar. 13, 2000
Originally signed by the New York Yankees in 1946, Harry Bright would finally make it to the majors in 1958 as a 3rd baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Appearing in just 15 games where he’d hit an even .250, Bright would make it into 40 games with the Pirates in 1959. Bright would play in just 4 games with the Pirates in 1960.
Traded to the expansion Senators prior to their inaugural season, along with Bennie Daniels and R. C. Stevens in exchange for Bobby Shantz, Bright would be tapped to play 1st, 2nd & 3rd base as well as catcher during his 2 seasons in Washington. In 1962 he’d appear in 113 games, hitting .273 with 15 doubles and 17 home runs among his 107 hits.
Traded to the Cincinnati Reds prior to the 1963 season for Rogelio Alvarez, Bright would only play in 4 games for the Reds before being purchased by the New York Yankees where he’d finish the season. Appearing in just 4 games with the Yankees in 1964, Birght would be released and signed by the Chicago Cubs for the 1965 season, where he’d play in just 27 games to end his major league career.
Douglas Joseph Camilli B Sep. 22, 1936 Still Living
Catcher Doug Camilli, son of major leaguer Dolph Camilli, was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957. However, he wouldn’t get his first taste of the major leagues until 1960, when he appeared in 6 games for the Dodgers, then in their third year of playing on the west coast. Sparingly used, Camilli’s most active season as a Dodger would be 1964 when he appeared in 50 games.
Purchased by the Senators after the 1964 season, Camilli would appear in 75 games with Washington in 1965 but would only hit .179. He’d spend parts of 1966 and 1967 with the Senators before being released before the start of the 1968 season. Camilli would be resigned by the Senators in mid-September of 1969, appear in just 1 game, and be released again at the end of the season, ending his major league career.
Reese Wilson Diggs B Sep. 22, 1915 D Oct. 30, 1978
Senators Short Timer would appear in 4 games over the span of 2 weeks with the 1934 Senators. A pitcher, Diggs would post a 1-2 record, giving up 26 hits and 16 earned runs in 21.1 innings.
Ira James (Pete) Flagstead B Sep. 22, 1893 D Mar. 13, 1940
Pete Flagstead would play in 1218 games in the major leagues in a career that spanned from 1917 through 1930. However only 18 of those games would come in a Senators uniform. An outfielder, Flagstead began his major league journey in 1917, appearing in 4 games with the Detroit Tigers. Flagstead wouldn’t be on a major league roster in 1918 but would return with the Tigers in 1919, hitting .331 in 97 games. He’d remain with the Tigers through the start of the 1923 season, when after just 1 game, he’d be purchased by the Boston Red Sox.
Playing with the Red Sox through the start of the 1923 season, he’d be claimed off waivers in late May by the Washington Senators. Playing in the aforementioned 18 games, where he’d hit just .179, Flagstead would be released again in mid-July and picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Flagstead would appear in 26 games with the Pirates in 1929 and 44 games in 1930 when he’d be released 1 last time, ending his major league career.
Ira “Pete” Flagstead career record
Thomas Everette Wright B Sep. 22, 1923 D September 5, 2017
Tom Wright is another outfielder who got around, playing for 4 American League teams in 7 years. Debuting with the Boston Red Sox in 1948, Wright would make brief appearances with the Red Sox each season through 1951. Traded to the St. Louis Browns, Wright would play in just 29 games with St. Louis in 1952 before being traded again to the Chicago White Sox. He’d stay in Chicago through 1953 when he was traded one last time, this time to the Washington Senators for Kite Thomas.
Wright would play in 76 games for the Senators in 1954, hitting .246. 7 games in 1955 and 2 games in 1956 would mark the end of his career.
