Billy Gardner, Jr, has been selected as the manager at Syracuse. That's a pleasure, because many of us remember when Billy Gardner, Sr, played 2B for Washington.
Gardner Sr was a player who helped to put life into the 1960 Senators...our beloved team that was stolen away to Minneapolis. After suffering through the mid-50s, we hoped something might turn around in 1959, when the Nats had the "modern murderer's row" of Killebrew, Lemon, Allison, and Sievers, plus Pascual and Ramos pitching. So they broke in late July of '59, losing an incredible 19 straight games, but the team added Gardner and C Earl Battey (Battey came over in a trade along with 1B Don Mincher), and the 1960 team was good. Bob Addie, of the Post, believed that with more seats -- Griffith Stadium only had about 15,000 seats anyone would want -- the 1960 team would have broken 1 million in attendance...an important mark in those days. Billy Gardner was a team leader, and it's nice to see Gardner Junior with the Washington organization.
