A steady catcher for 15 seasons despite little offensive production,
Ainsmith was
a smooth handler of pitchers and an aggressive player. In a one-sided game on June
26, 1913, the Senators' catcher stole second, third, and home in the ninth inning,
courtesy of the casual attitude taken by Athletics' pitcher Chief Bender. All of
Ainsmith's excursions went unchallenged, but were scored as stolen bases.
(JK)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»June 26, 1913: In the A's doubleheader pasting of the Senators, 11–2 and 10–3, Nats' catcher Eddie Ainsmith swipes 2B, 3B, and home in the opener.
»October 4, 1913:
Washington manager Clark Griffith uses an unheard-of eight pitchers in an end-of-season farce game with Boston, including five in the 9th inning. At age 43, he pitches one inning himself, and coach John Ryan, also 43, catches. Griffith also plays RF, where he plays one off his head and misplays Hal Janvrin's liner into an inside-the-park homer. On the other end of the scale, 17-year-old Merito Acosta plays outfield alongside Walter Johnson in CF. Johnson then comes in the 8th inning to lob pitches to two hitters. Both batters, Clyde Milan and Steve Yerkes lace hits to send Johnson back to CF, and then, in relief, Nats catcher Eddie Ainsmith, in his only ML pitching appearance, gives up two triples to allow the base runners to score. The Sox score in the 9th on Janvrin's 2nd inside-the-park homer. Joe Gedeon, in his only pitching appearance, retires the last two batters as Washington wins, 10–9, beating Fred Anderson who goes the distance. The two runs "allowed" by Johnson will have historical repercussions: his ERA goes from 1.09 to 1.14, and Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA in 1968 will put Johnson's ERA in 2nd place on the all-time list. The eight pitchers sets a major-league record that won't be matched until the Dodgers, September 25, 1946.
»July 19, 1915: The Nationals come out running, stealing a major-league record eight bases (tied in the National League in 1919) against the Cleveland Indians in the first inning. Sore-armed catcher Steve O'Neill is the victim of three SBs by Danny Moeller including 2B, 3B and home, two each by Clyde Milan and Ed Ainsmith, and one by George McBride in the 11–4 Washington win. Walter Johnson (15-8) allows just two hits in six innings before taking the afternoon off. Reliever Nick Altrock gives up the Cleveland scores.
»July 19, 1918:
Washington C Eddie Ainsmith applies for deferment from the draft. Secretary of War Newton D. Baker rules that baseball is not an essential occupation and all players of draft age are subject to the "work-in-essential-industries-or-fight"
rule. The ruling sends many players to work in shipyards and other defense industries, where they can play part-time or semipro. Ban Johnson says the AL will close down July 21st, but the next day both leagues vote to continue. A week later, Baker exempts players from the rule until September first. Both leagues vote to cut the season short, and end on Labor Day, September 2nd.
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