November 9
Senators Award winners
American League Most Valuable Player
1913 P Walter Johnson 36-7, 1.14 ERA (MVP Award was then known as the Chalmers Award)
1924 P Walter Johnson 23-7, 2.72 ERA
1925 SS Roger Peckinpaugh .294 AVG, 4 HR, 64 RBIAmerican League Rookie of the Year
1958 OF Albie Pearson .275 AVG, 3 HR, 33 RBI
1959 OF Bob Allison .261 AVG, 30 HR, 85 RBIPitching Triple Crown (Leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts)
1913 Walter Johnson 36-7, 1.14 ERA, 243 SO
1918 Walter Johnson 23-13, 1.27 ERA, 162 SO
1924 Walter Johnson 23-7, 2.72 ERA, 158 SOThe Sporting News American League Pitcher of the Year
1953 Bob Porterfield, 22-10, 3.35 ERA
Senators Birthdays
Conrad George Grob B Nov. 9, 1932 D Sep. 28, 1997
Single Season Senator Connie Grob would be on the Washington roster for about 5 months in 1956. Pitching in 15 games, Grob would compile a 4-5 record with a 7.83 ERA, making his last major league appearance in mid-September.
Dorrel Norman Elvert (Whitey) Herzog B Nov. 9, 1931 Still Living
Originally signed by the New York Yankees in 1949, outfielder (and occasional 1st baseman) Whitey Herzog came to the Washington Senators in early April of 1956 as the “player to be named later” in the trade that sent Mickey McDermott and Bobby Kline to the Yankees in exchange for Lou Berberet, Herb Plews, Dick Tettelbach and Bob Weisler.
Debuting in the majors with the Senators in 1956, Herzog would play in 117 games in his rookie season, hitting .245. He’d only see action in 36 games in 1957 as his BA dropped to .167.
After appearing in just 8 games with the Senators in 1958, Herzog would be purchased by the Kansas City Athletics where he’d finish the season playing in 88 games hitting .240.
Herzog would remain with the A’s through 1960 and then was traded to the Baltimore Orioles where he’d spend 1961 & 1962. One last trade after the 1962 season would send Herzog to the Detroit Tigers where he finished his playing days appearing in 52 games for the Tigers in 1963.
The final line on Herzog was that he’d play 8 seasons, appearing in 634 games with a lifetime .257 BA.
10 years later Herzog would become manager of the Texas Rangers. Fired after 138 games with the team at 47-91, Herzog would manage the California Angels on an interim basis for 4 games in 1974.
In 1975 Herzog would replace Jack McKeon as manager of the Kansas City Royals, finishing in 2nd place. From 1976 through 1978 the Herzog led Royals would finish in 1st place in the American League West, only to fall to the New York Yankees in the League Championship Series each year. The 1977 Royals would post a 102-60 record, the only 100 win season for the franchise to date. A 2nd place finish in 1979 would mark the end of Herzog’s tenure as Royals manager.
Herzog would head a little further east across the “Show Me” state, taking over the reins of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980. He’d remain at the helm of the Cards through 1990, guiding the team to a World’s Championship in 1982 and 1st place finishes in 1985 & 1987.
Herzog would garner “National League Manager of the Year” honors in 1985.
Edward Karl Linke B Nov. 9, 1911 D Jun. 21, 1988
Pitcher Ed Linke would play for the Senators for 5 years, from 1933 through 1937. Debuting in April of 1933, Linke would only pitch in 3 games his first season, posting a 1-0 record with a 5.06 ERA. Back for another 7 games in 1934, he’d go 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA.
Linke’s most active season would be 1935 when he’d appear in 40 games, going 11-7 with a 5.01 ERA. In 1936, Linke would pitch in 13 games, his record 1-5 with his ERA rising to 7.10.
1937 was Linke’s final season for the Senators, where he’d post a 6-1 record, lowering his ERA to 5.60.
Traded to the St. Louis Browns for Chief Hogsett, Linke would pitch 1 last season in 1938 for the Browns, going 1-7. He’d make his last major league appearance in early September.
Donald Nelson Loun B Nov. 9, 1940 Still Living
Signed by the expansion team in 1961, Senators Short Timer Don Loun would spend 11 days on the Senators roster in 1964. Pitching in 2 games, he’d post a 1-1 record with an ERA of 2.08.
Gerald Edward Priddy B Nov. 9, 1919 D Mar. 3, 1980
Infielder Jerry Priddy was signed by the New York Yankees in 1937, making his major league debut as a 21 year old rookie in April of 1941. Playing in 56 games his first season, he’d hit .213. 1942 would see him in 59 games, raising his BA to .280.
Traded to the Washington Senators along with Milo Candini for Bill Zuber and cash, Priddy would spend 1943 playing mainly at 3rd base, hitting .271 in 149 games.
His career interrupted by World War II, Priddy wouldn’t return to the Senators roster until 1946. He’d play in 138 games in 1946, hitting .254 but would see his BA drop to .214 in 1947.
Purchased by the St. Louis Browns after the 1947 season, Priddy would spend 2 seasons with the Browns. He’d have his best season at the plate in 1948, hitting .296 in 151 games.
Traded to the Detroit Tigers, Priddy would spend 1950 through 1953 in a Detroit uniform, playing in his last game in late September of 1953.
