October 4
1924 World Series
NY Giants at Washington, Game 1
Giants 4 Senators 3 (12)
Giants lead series 1-0A World Series is never a walk in the park for the winners. But for the Senators, they face a tougher task since their opponents, the John McGraw led Giants, feature six future Hall of Famers. On paper, the Giants, in their 4th consecutive Series appearance, have the edge offensively and defensively. Ross Youngs, one of the Hall members, led the NL with a .356 BA in 1924. Another Hall of Famer, George Kelly led the majors in RBI with 136. Frank Frisch was acknowledged as the best defensive 2B in both leagues and carried pop in his bat. Among the reserves are rookies Hack Wilson and Bill Terry, both to become Cooperstown bound. Rounding out the Gotham’s Hall class is SS Travis Jackson.
While the Giants have the advantage in offense, defense, experience and Hall of Famers, the Nats have the advantage in the all important pitching column. While New York’s staff is nothing to sneeze at, the Giants do not have a relief ace to match the Nat’s Firpo Marberry. Nor do they have Walter Johnson, the greatest pitcher in history, who led the AL in strikeouts with 158, while winning 23 games in the regular season.
The Senators, with an overflow crowd of 35,760 in Griffith Stadium, drop a heartbreaker to the Giants in 12 innings, 4-3. Despite pre-game nervousness, the Big Train pitches well, going 12 innings and striking out 12. Johnson would have won his World Series debut if not for two cheap Giant home runs from George Kelly and Bill Terry into the temporary bleachers in left field in the 2nd and 4th innings. Washington fights back and ties the game at 2-2 in the 9th on a Roger Peckinpaugh RBI double. In the 12th, Ross Youngs‘ single and and Kelly’s sacrifice fly give the Giants a 4-2 lead. Bucky Harris‘ run scoring single drives home a run in the bottom of the 12th to cut New York’s lead to 4-3. The Nats rally falls short when Goose Goslin grounds out to strand Harris at third base to end the contest. New York starting pitcher Art Nehf records the victory, while also helping himself with 3 hits.
1933 World Series
Washington at NY Giants, Game 2
Giants 6 Senators 1
Giants lead series 2-0Favorites to win this series, the overconfident Senators find themselves in a 2-0 hole with today’s meltdown at the Polo Grounds. A 6-run, sixth inning for New York does Washington in.
Scoring begins in the top of the 3rd when Goose Goslin‘s home run gives the Nats an early 1-0 lead. The Nats have a chance to break the game open in their half of the 6th. Goslin singles and Heinie Manush works a walk to put the first two men on base. Joe Cronin, for the second day in the row, fails in a clutch spot, fouling out to the catcher. With one away, Giants starter Hal Schumacher uncorks a wild pitch, moving Goslin to third and Manush to second. However, another opportunity slips away when Goslin is tagged out in a rundown on a Fred Schulte grounder to third base. Seeing his way out of the inning unscathed, Schumacher makes things difficult for himself by walking the next Senator batter, Joe Kuhel, to load the bases. With no room for error, Schumacher strikes out Ossie Bluege to end the Washington threat.
With the momentum shifted, the Giants send 12 men to the plate in the bottom of the 6th. Prior to this inning, Nats starting pitcher Alvin “General” Crowder had been sailing along, allowing only 2 hits. Crowder would allow 7 hits in the 6th inning, all singles, before reliever Tommy Thomas stopped the bleeding. Scoring all 6 of their runs on singles, the big blows for New York are Lefty O’ Doul’s 2-run single, and RBI singles from Travis Jackson, Gus Mancuso, Schumacher and Jo-Jo Moore.
More Senator news from October 4:
1907 Youngster Walter Johnson ends his rookie year at 5-9 with a 2-1, opening game, win over Eddie Plank and Philadelphia. The Nationals lose their 100th of the season in the nightcap, 8-0.
1932 Clark Griffith announces that Walter Johnson will not return as the Senators manager for 1933. Rumors spread that Griffith is looking to purchase Al Simmons from Philadelphia to make Simmons the next Nats manager. Owner Griffith hints that he may name himself the skipper.
1958 OF Albie Pearson of the Senators and P Ryne Duren of the Yankees are named The Sporting News AL rookies of the year. The National League’s rookie winners are Giants 1B Orlando Cepeada and Milwaukee Braves P Carl Willey.
Senators Birthdays
James Harold (Hal) Quick B Oct. 4, 1917 D Mar. 9, 1974
Single Season Senator Hal Quick spent just 3 weeks in September of 1939 with the team.
A shortstop, Quick would appear in 12 games going 10 for 41 at bat with one double.
Hal Quickly departed the major league scene after his short time in a Washington uniform.
Clarence Fletcher (Lefty) Thomas B Oct. 4, 1903 D Mar. 21, 1952
Another Senators Short Timer, Lefty Thomas would pitch in a grand total of 8 games during the 1925 and 1926 seasons.
First arriving with the Senators in late September of 1925, Thomas would pitch in just 2 games compiling an 0-2 record with a 2.08 ERA.
Returning in 1926, Thomas would pitch in 6 games and see his ERA more than double to 5.19.
Thomas would play in his last game on Sep. 26, 1926, exactly 1 year to the day after making his major league debut.
