by Paul Semendinger
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NOTE - This article was written for the IBWAA and was published in their journal on February 22, 2025.
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I enjoy baseball research that takes me in different directions and takes me on the path to learning new things about the sport I love.
For this article, I was originally going to determine the greatest major-league player named Washington. I thought of Claudell, U.L., and Ron before heading to Baseball-Reference to find others. It was there that I found an obscure player named, of all things, George Washington. He became my focus.
George Washington, actually named Sloan Vernon Washington but nicknamed George for obvious reasons, played for the Chicago White Sox in 1935 and 1936. It was a short-lived big-league career.
In 1935, Washington patrolled right field for the White Sox. No player on the team played in more games at that position that year. Washington handled himself well enough it seems.
He played 79 games in right. At the plate, he batted .283 with eight homers and 47 runs batted in. It wasn't a bad showing, though the Chicago club possibly could have expected more from him because he was a star batsman in the minor leagues. When one looks at his minor-league batting stats, across each level, it is clear that player could hit.
As he climbed the ladder to the majors, George Washington tore the cover off the ball.
In D-Ball in 1931, he hit .312 in 13 games (his first as a professional).
Washington started the 1932 season in D-Ball again. In 19 games, he batted .400 and was moved up to A where he batted .350 over 89 games.
In 1933, in A-Ball again, he hit .325 over 144 games.
In 1934, in Double-A, again over 144 games, he batted .367.
Things looked great for George Washington...
After his rookie season, Washington's second term wasn't as successful. He lasted just 20 games with the White Sox, batting only .180.
Washington then was sent back to the farm where he continued to mash the ball for many more seasons. He played in the minors through the 1942 season before, it seems, serving his country in the war.
Washington returned to baseball in 1946 and played through the 1950 season. His 1947 season was especially notable. In B-Ball, he batted .404 over 141 games.
That 1935 White Sox team had some other interesting players, including outfielder Jocko Conlan who batted .286 over 65 games as an outfielder and pinch-hitter. 1935 was his last year as a player. He would eventually become one of the most famous umpires in major league history. Conlan is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Many people know that there were three DiMaggios that played in the major leagues. There were also, in that same period, three members of the Sewell family. The most famous was Hall of Famer Joe Sewell. Brother Tommy Sewell played one game for the Cubs in 1927. And also on that 1935 White Sox team was catcher Luke Sewell, who enjoyed a 20-year playing career.
Before becoming a big-leaguer, White Sox first baseman Zeke Bonura set the American record in the javelin throw in 1925.
The third baseman on that team was Jimmy Dykes. He was also the manager of the team. In his long career as a manager, Dykes would manage close to 3,000 games, but he never won a pennant.
Monty Stratton, for whom a Hollywood movie was made (he lost his leg in a hunting accident), was a pitcher on the team.
Sad Sam Jones, who had thrown a no-hitter in 1923, was on that team as well. Jones was, by then, at 42 years old, the oldest player in the major leagues. That 1935 season was the last of his long career.
Two other Hall of Famers played on the 1935 White Sox: Luke Appling and Al Simmons.
Finally, the pitcher who started the most games (31) for the 1935 White Sox was Vern Kennedy. His career came too soon for anyone to call him "Jack."
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Paul Semendinger is Vice President of the Elysian Fields (Northern NJ) Chapter of SABR. The author of a host of award-winning books, Paul's next baseball book, another unique look at Yankees history, comes out in February 2026. He says good things are worth waiting for.
I guess he wasn't first in WAR.