1939 and 1940 Senators

[Steve Jeltz]

On the surface, teams that finish 65-87 and 64-90 usually do not warrant threads. But I was looking at the rosters of these particular teams and couldn't help but be impressed by the young talent that Washington was quietly stockpiling. Youngsters Mickey Vernon, Jimmy Bloodworth, Buddy Lewis, Cecil Travis, Jake Early, George Case, and pitchers Early Wynn, Sid Hudson and relief ace Alex Carresquel were all a part these teams.

By 1941, it looked like it was gradually coming together when the Sens improved to 70-84. But, some conflict called WWII interfered. One must wonder how this young squad would have developed if not for the war. In some ways, this nucleus was similar to the late 1950's nucleus of Allison, Killebrew, Pascual, etc. A few more pieces to the roster and maybe they could have been one of the top AL clubs of the 1940's.

[welch]

Good insight!. Lewis, Travis, and Case were fine players. Young Mickey Vernon (happy 90th, again, Mickey!) was twice the AL batting champion, and hit over .300 when he was about 40 years old.

What player in 1941 had a higher average than Joe DiMaggio, and a longer hitting sttreak than Ted Williams? (Hint: you mentioned him...froze his feet during the Battle of the Bulge, and was never the same player after the war.)

[Aa3rt]

What player in 1941 had a higher average than Joe DiMaggio, and a longer hitting sttreak than Ted Williams? (Hint: you mentioned him...froze his feet during the Battle of the Bulge, and was never the same player after the war.)

We actually had a somewhat lengthy discussion about him a few months ago. There's some good information on him here. (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=64454)

[Brian McKenna]

Griffith was making the most money of his life from the mid-1930s to the early-1940s - big bucks from renting the park to the Grays and Redskins. Perhaps if WWII and integration didn't adversely affect his finances, the club would have risen to the top again.

[PlayJay]

The Nats of that period needed quality pitching. Early Wynn would surely develop, of course (elsewhere, as usual), but the Dutch Leonards of the world weren't quite the Red Ruffings and Lefty Gomezes you needed to compete...

[Steve Jeltz]

The Nats of that period needed quality pitching. Early Wynn would surely develop, of course (elsewhere, as usual), but the Dutch Leonards of the world weren't quite the Red Ruffings and Lefty Gomezes you needed to compete...


When in doubt, pick up Bobo Newsom. :)

[welch]

Ah...but they don't make 'em like Bobo Newsom anymore!!

[PlayJay]

I read that Bobo Newsom was Mr. Griffith's favorite bridge partner, or something like that, which is why he kept returning to Washington...

I guess there were people in St. Louis and Philadelphia who liked bridge too :shhh: