October 12
1925 World Series
Pittsburgh at Washington, Game 5
Pirates 6 Senators 3
Senators lead series 3-2
Festive spirits permeates the masses at Griffith Stadium as the Nats look to seal their second straight
world championship. No team in World Series history has ever blown a 3 games to 1 lead, so game 5 is expected to be a mere formality. The pitching matchup today is the same as the one in game 2. Bucky Harris inserts Stan Coveleski, loser of game 2, against game 2 winner Vic Aldridge of Pittsburgh. Returning to the Washington lineup after getting beaned in the head from Aldridge in the second game is 3B Ossie Bluege.The Nats get into business in the 1st. Leadoff man Sam Rice singles to right and goes to second on an expected Bucky Harris sacrifice. A Texas League double down the left field line off the bat of Goose Goslin brings home Rice for the game’s first run. Following a Joe Judge strikeout, Joe Harris coaxes a walk from Aldridge to put runners at first and second for AL MVP Roger Peckinpaugh. Peckinpaugh fails to sink the Pirates early, tapping to third to force Goslin.
Coveleski’s wildness costs the Senators in the top of the 3rd. Max Carey and Kiki Cuyler draw consecutive walks with one out. Clyde Barnhardt ties it for the Bucs by singling to easily score the speedy Carey. With Cuyler moving to third on the single, Pie Traylor lofts a sacrifice fly to center to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead. Washington responds in the 4th when Joe Harris hits his 3rd series home run, a solo shot, to tie the contest at 2-2.
Putting the Senators to rest for good, Pittsburgh puts together a walk and three straight singles for a 4-2 margin in the 7th. Despite a run from the Nats in their half of the 7th, the Bucs tally runs in the 8th and 9th innings for the 6-3 win. Suddenly, with the series moving back to Pittsburgh, the Senators second world championship does not seem inevitable anymore.
Senator news from October 12:
1965 Frequent trade partners Washington and Baltimore team up for another deal. The Senators acquire C John Orsino for OF Woodie Held. In 15 games over two seasons, Orsino would hit .174 for the Sens before calling it quits. Held isn’t much better in Baltimore, hitting 2 home runs in 1 and a half seasons as an Oriole reserve.
Senators Birthdays
Today we mark the birthdays of 4 players who spent time in a Senators uniform. Making October 12th notable is that 2 Hall Of Famers were born on this date.
Joseph Edward Cronin B Oct. 12, 1906 D Sep. 7, 1984
Beginning his playing career as a 19 year old infielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1926, Joe Cronin would remain an active player for 20 years. He’d also serve 2 teams as a player/manager, serving in that role for 13 years.
Cronin would be sparingly used by the Pirates, appearing in 38 games in 1926 and only 12 games in 1927.
Purchased by the Kansas City franchise of the American Association prior to the start of the 1928 season, Cronin would be sold to the Washington Senators in July.
Finding his niche at shortstop, Cronin would hit .242 in his first season in Washington when he appeared in 63 games.
Cronin would steadily improve, and in 1930 he’d hit .346 with 41 doubles, 9 triples and 13 home runs among his 203 hits, when he’d tally 126 RBI’s.
Cronin would hit over .300 in Washington from 1931 through 1933.
Elevated to the role of player/manager in 1933 after Walter Johnson was relieved as manager of the Senators, Cronin would meet with immediate success, piloting the Senators to the World Series with a 99-53 record. Unfortunately the Senators would lose to the Giants in 5 games.
In 1934, the Senators made a major tumble to 7th place, and Cronin’s BA would drop to .284. After the 1934 season, Cronin would be traded to the Boston Red Sox for Lyn Lary and $225,000, a princely sum in those depression years.
Cronin would serve the Red Sox as player manager from 1935 through 1947, finishing 1st in 1946 and in 2nd place 4 times.
Cronin would represent the Senators on the All Star teams of 1933 and 1934 and the Red Sox in 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1941.
Cronin would play in his last game in mid-April of 1945 although he’d continue to manage the Red Sox through 1947.
Cronin finished his career having played in 2124 games with 2285 hits including 515 doubles, 118 triples, 170 home runs and 1424 RBI’s with a final BA of .301.
Richard Benjamin Ferrell B Oct. 12, 1905 D Jul. 27, 1995
Our second Hall Of Famer is Rick Ferrell, a catcher who played 18 years with the St. Louis Browns, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators.
Originally signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1926, Ferrell would be granted free agency in November of 1928 and almost immediately signed by the St. Louis Browns.
Making his major league debut in April of 1929, Ferrell would make it into 64 games, hitting .229. Ferrell also improved each season, hitting .268 in 101 games in 1930 and .306 in 1931. In 1932, Ferrell would hit .315 and receive MVP consideration.
Starting the 1933 season with the Browns, Ferrell would be traded to the Boston Red Sox in early May after 22 games in St. Louis. Ferrell would remain in Boston through mid-May of 1937 when he’d be traded to Washington, along with his brother Rick and Mel Almada for Ben Chapman and Bobo Newsom.
Ferrell would remain a Senator through mid-May of 1941 when he’d find himself headed to the Browns again, this time exchanged for Vern Kennedy.
After another 2 and a half seasons in St. Louis, Ferrell would find himself traded one last time, this time back to the Senators in exchange for Gene Moore. Ferrell would finish his career as a Senator in mid-September of 1947.
During his 18 seasons, Ferrell would hit .250 or above 16 times. He’d be named to the All Star teams of 1933-1936 representing the Red Sox and 1937, 1938, 1944 & 1945 as a Washington Senator.
Ferrell’s 18 seasons would show a final line of 1692 hits in 6028 AB, including 324 doubles, 45 triples, 28 homers and 734 RBI with a BA of .281.
Malachi Jeddidiah Kittridge B Oct. 12, 1869 D Jun. 23, 1928
Another catcher, Malachi Kittridge began his playing days in 1890 with the Chicago Colts. He’d remain in Chicago through 1897 and join the Louisville Colonels in 1898 when Louisville was still a major league outpost. In 1899, he split his playing time between Louisville and Washington, appearing in 44 games for the National League Washington team before the league contracted from 12 to 8 teams for the 1900 season.
Kittridge would not play in the majors in 1900 but would return in 1901 with the Boston National League franchise, when that team was known as the Beaneaters. He’d have his most active season in 1901, appearing in 114 games, the only year where he played in over 100 games.
Kittridge would be purchased by the Washington Senators in early July of 1903. He’d play in 60 games for the Senators that year, hitting .214 in 60 games.
Kittridge would play in 81 games for Washington in 1904, raising his BA to .242. In 1905 he’d play in 77 games but see his BA slip to .164.
1906 would prove to be Kittridge’s last season. He start the year in Washington, hitting .191 in 22 games. Loaned to the Cleveland Naps in late July, he’d play in 5 games, going 1 for 10 and be returned to Washington in mid-August. He’d be given his release the same day, ending his major league career.
Malachi Kittridge career record
Lawrence Sidney (Bobo) Osborne B Oct. 12, D April 15, 2011
Signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1953, Bobo Osborne would make his major league debut with the Tigers in late June of 1957. Primarily playing at 1st and 3rd base, Osborne would only appear in 11 games for the Tigers, hitting .148.
Osborne would appear in only 2 games for the Tigers in 1958, but would make it into 86 big league contests in 1959, hitting .191.
Absent from the major leagues in 1960, Osborne would return with the Tigers in 1961, hitting .215 in 71 games. 1962 would see Osborne in 64 games hitting .230, his best career year at the plate.
Prior to the 1963 season, Osborne would be traded to the Washington Senators for Wayne Comer. Osborne would have his most active season with the Senators, playing in 125 games. However he’d only manage to hit .212 with 14 doubles and 12 home runs and his final game would be in late September.
