[GeoPoto]

The 1937 Washington Senators won 73 games, lost 80, and finished in sixth place in the American League. They were managed by Bucky Harris and played home games at Griffith Stadium.

Deveaux takes on the 1937 season: The 1937 Washington Senators' batting lineup was bolstered by the addition of a man destined for the Hall of Fame, Al Simmons. Known as "Bucketfoot" because of his open stance and movement toward third as he took his righthanded swing, Simmons was simply one of the greatest batsmen to ever come down the pipe. Just coming up on his 35th birthday, he had enjoyed a terrific 13-112-.327 year with the Tigers in 1936, his first season in Detroit. In 1935, however, he had experienced an off year for the first time in his illustrious 12-year career. He'd been Connie Mack's all-time favorite, and the revered McGillicuddy said as much at the end of a 50-year career during which he had performed double duty as both A's owner and manager. When asked to name his all-time favorite players, the octogenarian wistfully replied that he wished he could have "nine players named Simmons."

The presence of a two-time batting champion in Washington was exciting for the fans. But which Al Simmons had Clark Griffith just spent $15,000 for? If he could replicate what he'd done last season, and if the Yankees let up, who knew! It was thought that just about every hitter in the lineup had the ability to hit .300. Pitching had been the Nats' strong suit in '36, and this continued early in '37. Unfortunately, the offense sputtered horribly, resulting in a 2-7 start. . . .

. . . The club's pitching took a step back in '37, despite the addition of the Ferrels (brothers, catcher Rick and pitcher Wes). Both were disappointments, as was Simmons, the team's other important acquisition. Coming off two straight seasons in which he'd hit over .300, Bucketfoot Al faltered to .229 in 104 games for Washington after the June trade. Wes Farrell went 11-13 the rest of the way as Harris's stopper, and was 14-19, 4.90 overall. At 29, Farrell had already passed his prime, and he would be gone from the roster before the end of the following campaign.

The staff as a whole was mediocre in '37, with no one standing out. Jimmie DeShong bloomed in the spring, winning four in a row in one stretch, but then wilted badly. Shelled repeatedly, DeShong was lucky to finish with the 14-15 record he earned while allowing nearly five runs a game. Monte "Prof" Weaver, having taken up red meat again, did have a decent comeback year with a 12-9 slate and a good 4.20 ERA (the league average was 4.62). Pete Appleton, as in the case of all of the previously mentioned Nats pitchers, was also on the decline. He never did get back to the standards of his one good year, and in this season, he did not get good support and finished 8-15. Ed Kinke had an incongruous record of 6-1 with an appalling 5.60 ERA. . . .