Washington Senators - The Golden Decade (1950-1959)

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1950

Decade

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101

Titles: None

Top Senators Players of the Fifties

BallPark:

Pitchers:

Griffith Stadium

Bob Porterfield (16.66) - 51

Pedro Ramos (9.84) - 32

Team Name: Nationals or Senators

Chuck Stobbs (7.41) - 30

Camilo Pascual (12.12) - 27

Owner:

Connie Marrero (9.72) - 25

Clark Griffith (1950-1955)

Spec Shea (2.88) - 17

Calvin Griffith (1955-1959)

Walt Masterson (2.99) - 13

Sid Hudson (3.66) - 13

General Managers:

Dean Stone (1.3) - 13

Johnny Schmitz (7.23) - 13

Managers:

Mickey McDermott (3.77) - 11

Bucky Harris (1950-1954)

Russ Kemmerer (2.69) - 11

Chuck Dressen (1955-1957)

Sandy Consuegra (4.19) - 11

Cookie Lavagetto (1957-1959)

Tex Clevenger (4.92) - 11

Dick Hyde (6.26) - 9

No Hitters:

Bob Kuzava (2.28) - 6

None

Bill Fischer (2.55) - 5

Bud Byerly (3.85) - 4

Hall of Famers:

Sonny Dixon (0.39) - 2

Harmon Killebrew

Bob Chakales (0.35) - 1

Mike Fornieles (1.15) - 0

Rookie of the Year:

Gus Keriazkos (0.27) - 0

Albie Pearson (1958)

Raul Sanchez (0.16) - 0

Bob Allison (1959)

Jim Constable (0.12) - 0

Vito Valentinetti (0.02) - 0

MVP:

Lou Sleater (0) - 0

None

Tommy Byrne (0) - 0

Al Cicotte (-0.03) - 0

Cy Young:

Jack Kralick (-0.08) - 0

None

Hal Woodeshick (-0.09) - 0

Joe Black (-0.16) - 0

Notable Events:

Garland Shifflett (-0.26) - 0

Jack Spring (-0.44) - 0

1950 - The Senators were putrid for most of the decade save for two

Jim Kaat (-0.45) - 0

seasons when they reached the lofty heights of mediocrity ('52-'53)

Ralph Lumenti (-0.66) - 0

when they were .500. Clark Griffith was old and had given up trying to

Dick Brodowski (-1.08) - 0

field a competitive team some fifteen years earlier.

Bob Wiesler (-1.3) - 0

Ted Abernathy (-1.72) - 0

1951 - Righthander Bob Porterfield, 27, is obtained from pitching rich

Connie Grob (-2.28) - 0

New York in a trade. He would go 22-10 in '53 vaulting Washington

into mediocrity that season.

Catchers:

Clint Courtney (3.05) - 18

1951 - Pete Runnels, twenty three year old infielder, is brought up.

Ed FitzGerald (1.58) - 13

A good hitter, he would win two batting titles, not with the Senators,

Lou Berberet (3.1) - 5

however, but with Boston.

Bob Oldis (-0.26) - 0

JW Porter (-0.33) - 0

1952 - In a great trade, the Senators obtain centerfielder Jackie Jensen,

Hal Naragon (-1.2) - 0

25, from New York. Jensen was blocked by Mickey Mantle with the

Yankees. Washington gave up Irv Noren for Jensen. Two years later,

First Basemen:

however, the Senators would let Jensen slip thru their fingers and deal him

Mickey Vernon (17.82) - 44

to Boston for Tom Umphlett in an even worse trade than the Yankees just made.

Norm Zauchin (0.08) - 5

Julio Becquer (-1.11) - 2

1952 - Centerfielder Jim Busby, a twenty five year old speedster, is

Eddie Robinson (0.1) - 0

obtained from Chicago.

Don Mincher (0) - 0

1953 - Twenty three year old lefthander Chuck Stobbs is obtained

Second Basemen:

from Chicago. He is Washington's "ace" throughout the decade.

Pete Runnels (9.25) - 33

Herb Plews (-1.34) - 6

1954 - Slugging outfielder Roy Sievers, 27, is obtained in a deal with

Jerry Snyder (-0.09) - 0

the Browns. He becomes one of the better long ball hitters in the game

Milt Bolling (-0.2) - 0

and leads the AL in homers and rbi's in '57 going 42-114-.301

Bobby Malkmus (-0.4) - 0

Ken Aspromonte (-0.74) - 0

1954 - Slugging outfielder Jim Lemon, 26, is obtained in a deal with the

Indians. Lemon was crowded out by the likes of Doby, Smith and

ShortStop:

Mitchell in Cleveland with Colavito and Maris waiting in the wings.

Rocky Bridges (1.73) - 12

While never genreally considered on a par with Sievers as a slugger

Wayne Terwilliger (4.24) - 8

at the time, he actually is.

Jose Valdivielso (-0.8) - 6

Willie Miranda (-0.02) - 0

1954 - Future Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, 18, is a bonus baby.

Bobby Kline (-0.32) - 1

He is the first building block of the execellent Twins teams of the Sixties

Ossie Alvarez (-0.49) - 0

Lyle Luttrell (-1.58) - 0

1954 - Always looking for talent on the cheap, Clark Griffith had

been signing Cubans since the Forties. Somehow, he was missing

Third Base:

the good ones because the Cubans he signed were never very

Eddie Yost (25.79) - 48

good. Until, this time, Camilo Pascual, a twenty year old righthander was

Harmon Killebrew (3.63) - 8

signed. Pascual, a master curveballer, was one of the class pitchers

Reno Bertoia (-0.19) - 0

in the league for over a decade.

Outfield:

1955 - Twenty year old righthanded Cuban Pedro Ramos comes up.

Roy Sievers (14.9) - 51

A good pitcher, he, Pascual and Stobbs would form the nucleus of

Jim Lemon (5.82) - 42

a talented, but very unsuccessful starting rotation for the Senators

Jim Busby (8.5) - 37

for the rest of the decade.

Irv Noren (6.05) - 27

Gil Coan (4.72) - 27

1955 - Clark Griffith dies at the age of 85. Son Calvin takes over.

Jackie Jensen (4.85) - 19

Bob Allison (1.02) - 11

1956 - Washington officially becomes the Senators.

Sam Mele (1.38) - 8

Albie Pearson (0.03) - 7

1958 - Slugging outfielder Bob Allison, 23, is a rookie.

Carlos Paula (-1.57) - 5

Second building block of the 60's

Whitey Herzog (-2.79) - 5

Ken Wood (0.55) - 4

1959 - Lefthander Jim Kaat, 19, is a rookie. Calvin wasn't messing around.

Tom Umphlett (-2.17) - 4

Faye Throneberry (-3.45) - 4

1959 - Cuban born shortstop Zoilo Versalles, 19, is a rookie.Calvin continues

Clyde Vollmer (-0.34) - 3

the legacy of his father in signing Cuban players.

Bobby Usher (-0.41) - 3

Art Schult (-0.22) - 2

Johnny Groth (-0.93) - 1

Neil Chrisley (-1.55) - 1

Dick Tettlebach (0.01) - 0

Jerry Schoonmaker (-0.68) - 0

Ernie Oravetz (-1.18) - 0

Karl Olson (-1.64) - 0