October 17
1956 Rumors about a possible move by the Senators are confirmed when it is revealed that Louisville, KY and San Francisco are making bids. Commissioner Happy Chandler announces at a Senators board meeting that Louisville is prepared to erect a 50,000 seat stadium with guarantees of at least a million fans a year for 3 years if Calvin Griffith moves the franchise to the Kentucky city. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren, who played a minor role in the impending Dodgers move west, arranges for Griffith to meet San Jose businessmen about a possible relocation to San Francisco. Griffith states publicly that he will study any prospective bids from the Louisville and San Francisco interests before making a decision.
Senators Birthdays
John Calvin Klippstein B Oct. 17, 1927 D Oct. 10, 2003
Washington, DC born Johnny Klippstein would spend 18 years in the major leagues, pitching for 8 different teams including 2 separate stints on the roster of the Cincinnati Reds.
Originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944, Klippstein would pass through the Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodger organizations before making his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs in May of 1950.
Klippstein would remain with the Cubs through 1954, being traded to the Cincinnati Reds at the end of the season. Klippstein would be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in mid-June of 1958 where he’d spend the remainder of the 1958 and 1959 seasons. He’d pitch in 1 game of the 1959 World Series as the Dodgers swept the “Go-Go White Sox” in the fall classic.
Purchased by the Cleveland Indians for the 1960 season, Klippstein would go 5-5 with a 2.91 ERA, appearing in 49 games.
Selected by the “new” Senators in the expansion draft, Klippstein would go 2-2 in 42 games for Washington in their inaugural year.
After the season, Klippstein would be traded, along with Marty Keough, to Cincinnati for Bob Schmidt and Dave Stenhouse.
Klippstein would go 7-6 for the Reds in 1962 and then be purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies for the 1963 campaign. After a season and a half in Philadelphia, Klippstein would be purchased again, this time by the Minnesota Twins, in late June of 1964.
Klippstein would spend 2 and a half seasons in Minnesota, pitching in 2 games of the 1965 World Series, as the Twins lost to the LA Dodgers in 7 games.
Released by the Twins after 1966, Klippstein would be picked up by the Detroit Tigers where he’d pitch in 5 games, being released one last time in early June of 1967, marking the end of his major league journey.
Klippstein lead the American League in saves with 14 in 1960. He’d also have a couple of league leads in less admirable catagories including wild pitches in 1952 (NL-12) and 1961 (AL-10) and hit batsmen in 1956 with 10 (NL).
Johnny Klippstein career record
John Thaddeus Ostrowski B Oct. 17, 1917 D Nov. 13, 1992
Another journeyman who bounced around both the major and minor leagues was utilityman Johnny Ostrowski. Originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939, Ostrowski would eventually be obtained by the Chicago Cubs, making his major league debut in late September of 1943.
Ostrowski would play in 10 games in 1943, 8 in 1944, 7 in 1945 and 64 in 1946. Ostrowski wouldn’t see any major league action in 1947 and would be drafted by the Boston Red Sox after the season. Appearing in a solitary game with the Red Sox in 1948, Ostrowski would be returned to the Cubs. In early August of ’48, Ostrowski would be traded to the Chicago White Sox, appearing in 49 games for the South Siders in 1949, going 42 for 158, with 9 doubles, 4 triples, 5 homers and 31 RBI.
Starting the 1950 season in a White Sox uniform, Ostrowski would play in 22 games before being traded to the Washington Senators, along with Bob Kuzava and Cass Michaels for Al Kozar, Ray Scarborough and Eddie Robinson.
Ostrowski would play in 55 games for the Senators, going 32 for 141 at bat, with 2 doubles 1 triple, 4 home runs and 23 RBI. Released by the Senators in September, Ostrowski would be picked up by his former team, the White Sox, where he’d appear in 1 final game, his major league career ending with the close of the 1950 season.
Johnny Ostrowski career record
Daniel Edward Porter B Oct. 17, 1931 D Jan. 7, 2017
Single Season Senator Dan Porter made his major league debut as a 19 year old rookie in mid-August of 1951. Playing in 13 games, Porter would go 4 for 19 with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts, ending his short trip to the majors with a .211 BA.
