Washington Senators - The Sixties (1961-1969)

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1961

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106

Titles:

Top Senators Players of the Sixties

None

Pitchers:

BallPark:

Ron Kline (7.54) - 27

Griffith Stadium (1961)

Claude Osteen (8.92) - 25

D.C. Stadium (1962-1968)

Phil Ortega (2.79) - 25

RFK Stadium (1969 Name changed from DC Stadium)

Bennie Daniels (4.53 - 22

Pete Richert (6.64) - 21

Team Name:

Joe Coleman (4.44) - 19

Senators

Camilo Pascual (3.61) - 16

Mike McCormick (3.57) - 12

Owner:

Dick Bosman (5.32) - 11

Elwood Richard Quesada (1961-1968 group of 10 local businessmen)

Casey Cox (2.87) - 11

Bob Short (1969 - 1971)

Don Rudolph (2.12) - 11

Darold Knowles (5.56) - 10

General Managers:

Dennis Higgins (0.52) - 9

Ed Doherty (1961-1962)

Tom Cheney (5.59) - 8

George Selkirk (1963-1968)

Dick Donovan (4.27) - 8

Jim Hannan (2.79) - 8

Managers:

Pete Burnside (-0.42) - 4

Mickey Vernon (1961-1963)

Steve Ridzik (0.65) - 3

Eddie Yost (1963)

Marty Kutyna (0.34) - 3

Gil Hodges (1963-1967)

Dave Sisler (-0.14) - 2

Jim Lemon (1968)

Steve Hamilton (1.13) - 1

Ted Williams (1969)

Bob Priddy (0.5) - 1

John Gabler (-0.79) - 1

No Hitters:

Ed Roebuck (0.48) - 0

None

Tom Sturdivant (0.38) - 0

Marshall Bridges (-0.14) - 0

Hall of Famers:

Ryne Duren (-0.3) - 0

Minnie Minoso

Diego Segui (-0.54) - 0

Jim Bronstad (-0.63) - 0

Rookie of the Year:

Jim Coates (-0.76) - 0

None

Johnny Klippstein (-1.5) - 0

MVP:

Catchers:

None

Paul Casanova (2.89) - 19

Gene Green (1.42) - 6

Cy Young:

Doug Camilli (-0.04) - 2

None

Don Leppert (-0.33) - 1

Pete Daley (-1.25) - 1

Notable Events:

Dutch Dotterer (0.08) - 0

John Orsino (-0.21) - 0

1960 - Poor Washington fans. After decades of being mired in the second

Cal Neeman (-0.32) - 0

division under Clark Griffith's parsimonius reign, the original Washington

Hobie Landrith (-0.34) - 0

franchise was beginning to show some life under Clark's son Calvin. So, of

Dick Billings (-0.36) - 0

course, the team that would win the 1965 pennant was moved to Minnesota and,

in it's place, Washington fans got an expansion club

First Basemen:

Mike Epstein (4.49) - 19

1961 - The new franchise in Washington is bought by a group of ten

Dick Phillips (-0.39) - 5

local businessmen headed by Elwood Richard Quesada. Unlike the

Dale Long (0.5) - 4

other new franchise, the Angels, the Senators draft poorly and are mired in the

Larry Osborne (-0.15) - 4

cellar most of the decade - carrying on the Senator tradition.

Dick Nen (-0.41) - 3

GM's Ed Doherty and George Selkirk do not distinguish themselves.

Moose Skowron (0.58) - 1

Bob Chance (-0.37) - 1

1961 - the best player the Senators pick in the draft is twenty seven year old

Hawk Harrelson (0.26) - 0

outfielder Chuck Hinton from the Orioles. Chuck will have three pretty solid

Joe Cunningham (0.17) - 0

years in Washington before he is traded off to Cleveland

Roy Sievers (-0.17) - 0

Dick Smith (-0.33) - 0

1962 - The Senators move into DC Stadium from old Griffith Stadium

RC Stevens (-0.44) - 0

The new teams were originally scheduled to start in 1962, but Calvin

Bud Zipfel (-1.21) - 0

Griffith bolted to Minnesota prematurely and the Senators were stuck

for one season in Griffith Stadium as baseball felt it had to have a team

Second Basemen:

in Washington at the time for political reasons. Interestingly, some sixteen

Bernie Allen (2.82) - 13

years later, when the American League was expanding again, then President

Don Blasingame (2.29) - 7

Gerald Ford demanded that one of the new teams be located in Washington.

Chuck Cottier (0.48) - 7

Because, by then, the Reserve Clause had been struck down and free agency

Don Zimmer (1.09) - 6

was upon them - and baseball no longer had to kiss up to Congress to try

Danny O'Connell (3.36) - 5

to preserve the Reserve Clause, American League owners, essentially, told Ford

Bob Johnson (3.32) - 5

to take a hike and put the new franchise in Toronto, not even an American city.

Billy Klaus (0.8) - 0

Marv Breeding (0.28) - 0

1965 - Washington makes their one astute move of the decade, getting

Lou Klimchock (-0.07) - 0

Frank Howard, Phil Ortega, Ken McMullen and Pete Richert from the

Dodgers for Claude Osteen. These are basically their only good players.

ShortStop:

The deal worked out for the Dodgers, as well, as they had plenty of good

Ed Brinkman (5.86) - 27

players, but needed another stud for their rotation. Osteen was that guy

Woody Held (0.66) - 9

The Dodgers got rid of Howard, who was a bona-fide slugger and

Ken Hamlin (1.17) - 4

All-Star, because Chavez Ravine was built for speed and defense and

Ron Hansen (0.94) - 3

Howard was not that.

Coot Veal (-0.75) - 0

1968 - Democratic National Committee Treasurer Bob Short (who says

Third Base:

members of the political parties don't make money?) buys the Senators

Ken McMullen (21.16) - 30

Typical of politicians, he spent a lot of money trying to get things done

Harry Bright (0.46) - 4

with the Senators, but came up "short"

Bob will act as his own GM

Outfield:

Frank Howard (19.28) - 51

1969 - Ted Williams is hired as manager and is an instant success.

Chuck Hinton - 37

The Senators improve twenty one games in the standings with virtually the

Don Lock (10.44) - 37

same roster. They got huge improvements from twenty six year old

Fred Valentine (4.05) - 22

slugger Mike Epstein, centerfielder Del Unser and pitcher Dick Bosman plus

Jim King (8.38) - 21

Howard and McMullen, who were already good, got a bit better.

Del Unser (2.19) - 17

Ed Stroud (1.31) - 8

Gene Woodling (2.49) - 7

Willie Tasby (0.09) - 5

Willie Kirkland (-1.69) - 5

Jimmy Piersall (-1.18) - 4

Lee Maye (1.71) - 3

Brant Alyea (0.87) - 3

Minnie Minoso (-1.6) - 1

Lou Piniella (0) - 0

Joe Hicks (-0.39) - 0

Ken Hunt (-0.92) - 0