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ericnease84 · 06-03-2024, 11:11 PM

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Best Record: 102-23 (1922)
Worst Record: 63-99 (1971)
Playoff Appearances: 38
Championships: 16 (1897, 1899, 1920, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1984, 1987)

The New York Knights are the most iconic franchise in the National Baseball League, with only the Los Angeles Captains even coming close to matching them. They won two World Series early on, but did not really become an iconic franchise until the 1920s. They acquired a heavy hitting outfielder named George Herman and a star pitcher named Jack Hamilton from the Boston Rebels prior to the 1920 season, and got star pitcher Paul Gottlieb from Pittsburgh in a separate trade that same offseason, and they helped lead the Knights into being the dominant force in the ABC. From 1920 through 1938. they only failed to make the playoffs three times, and those three non-playoff seasons were still winning seasons. They played in 16 World Series during that stretch, winning 8 of them and losing 8 of them. The Knights released Herman following the 1938 season, and he signed with Boston for one year before retiring. They won another World Series in 1942, and then won three in a row from 1947 through 1949. They then proceeded to lose three of them in a row, from 1951 through 1953. Little did they know that their championship in 1950 would be their last until 1984. After making a couple playoff appearances in the late 1950s, they did not make it back to the playoffs until 1977. They finally made it to the World Series again in 1984, their first appearance since 1950. They faced the Roadrunners in that series and defeated them. They made it back to the World Series in 1987 and won that one too, beating the Captains this time.

Outlook for 1990:
They had a rough 1989, but are expecting to bounce back in 1990 to prove that 1989 was just a fluke. Still, jumping from 90 losses to division winner can prove to be tough. We will see how they do.

Current Manager:
Evan McBride is the Knights' manager, his first season in that role. He was the bench coach since 1984, and was promoted to manager after the team fired their previous manager Steve George mid-season in 1989. Their AAA manager, Chris Lamont, was interim manager for the rest of 1989, but the team opted to promote McBride to the role instead, and sent Lamont back to his old role in AAA. McBride previously managed the Silverbacks from 1981 through 1983. As a player, he was an outfielder for the Chicago Cardinals from 1961 through 1976. His son, Adam McBride, currently plays in the California Stars' minor league system as a first baseman.

Shamel Watkins, P, 1918-1936
Shamel Watkins first signed with the Chicago Cardinals in 1918 as a 20-year old. He lost 20 games his rookie year, but he stuck with it and gradually improved over the next several years. He led the league in wins in 1922, 1923 and 1924 while helping the Cardinals win the World Series in 1923. Two years later, he was traded to the New York Knights, the team he had helped beat in the World Series, in exchange for two players who spent years on the Cardinals but never came close to Watkins' value. He continued to pitch well for the Knights as they won six World Series while he was on the team. He retired after the 1936 season, one of the seasons in which the Knights won the World Series. He was among the first players inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1943. He became the pitching coach of the Orlando Seals in 1948 and spent three years with them before he resigned. In 1953, he was hired as the pitching coach for the Louisville Captains. He moved with the team to Los Angeles and spent the rest of his life as their pitching coach until he died of a heart attack during Spring Training in 1969. Watkins has two grandsons currently playing in the NBL: Damion Watkins is an outfielder for the Baltimore Blackbirds, and Samuel Watkins is a third baseman for the Dallas Coyotes, the sons of Watkins' oldest son. His youngest son also has a son who will be eligible for the draft this summer: pitcher Colt Watkins.

Jack Hamilton, P, 1915-1931
Jack Hamilton won 21 games in 1915 as a rookie for the Boston Rebels. After spending five years with the Rebels and winning 98 games, he was dealt in a shocking trade to the New York Knights, along with star outfielder George Herman and talented but oft-injured pitcher Paul Langston. They sent second baseman Seth Pond and outfielder Jeff Metzger (as well as $200,000, likely the real motivation for the trade) back to Boston. Pond spent a decade with the Rebels and never hit well; Metzger hit better but was not there as long. Langston never was able to stay healthy on the mound. But Herman and Hamilton swung this deal completely in favor of the Knights. Hamilton was part of seven World Series championship teams in New York and went on to win 295 games in his career. He retired after the 1931 season, and after staying home for the 1932 season he was hired as the manager of the Cincinnati Silverbacks. Hamilton managed Cincinnati from 1933 until 1938, when he was fired. He became the Baltimore Browns' bench coach in 1941 and remained in that position until he suddenly passed away less than a month after the end of the 1948 season. In 1943, he was among the first five players to be elected to the Hall of Fame. His son, Harry Hamilton, pitched for the Silverbacks from 1954 to 1960, was the Baltimore Blackbirds' manager from 1982 to 1986 and was just hired as the Knights' pitching coach for 1990.

Bushrod Lewis, 1B, 1913-1936
Bushrod Lewis began his career with the Knights in 1913 as an 18-year old. He hit .319 as a rookie and immediately established himself iin the starting lineup as he won the Rookie of the Year award. He won many batting awards over his career, and helped the Knights win three World Series. However, following the 1926 season the Knights decided to move on from him, wanting to insert a younger first baseman, Louis Henry, into the lineup. They traded Bushrod Lewis to the Trenton Tigers along with veteran outfielder Joe Green, bringing future Hall of Fame third baseman Joe Nicholson back to New York. Bushrod continued to play well in Trenton, winning batting awards but unfortunately not able to lead them to the playoffs. He retired after the 1936 season with 3,118 career hits, which at the time was the all-time record. He did not make the original Hall of Fame class of 1943, but was elected in his second try in 1944. Lewis never coached professionally, but turned down a couple opportunities to do so over the years. He died in 1970.

George Herman, OF, 1917-1939
George Herman broke into the league with the Boston Rebels in 1917. He spent three years in Boston before he was traded to the New York Knights, along with star pitcher Jack Hamilton and pitcher Paul Langston, in exchange for two players and $200,000. Langston and the two players Boston got did not do much for their teams, but Herman and Hamilton helped turn New York into a powerhouse. Herman became the most feared hitter in the league with the large amount of home runs he was hitting, in an era where the home run was not as common. Including his years in Boston, he led the league in home runs every season of his career between 1917 and 1937 except for one year: 1928, which he missed a chunk of due to injury. The Knights won 8 World Series while Herman was on the team, and Herman took home 12 MVP awards during his time in New York. He had previously won one in Boston right before his trade to New York. After the 1938 season, the Knights released Herman with his skills beginning to decline. He returned to Boston for 1939, but after a poor season he retired. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945, his first year eligible. In 1945, Herman also began working as the pitching coach for the Washington Generals, which he did for four years. Then in 1951 he was named the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Ironmen. He did that for six years until he resigned after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in 1958.

Curtis Cunningham, P, 1921-1940
Curtis Cunningham, the son-in-law of former NBL pitcher and current (at the time) Cleveland Blue Sox manager Greenberry Stanton (who was fired after that season and chose to retire), broke into the league with the Philadelphia Hornets in 1921. Just prior to Spring Training in 1927, he was dealt to the New York Knights in exchange for four players, none of whom made any notable contribution to the Hornets and only one of whom remained on their roster past 1929 (and he did not play much). Cunningham, on the other hand, continued to excel on the mound for New York as he helped lead them to five championships during his time with the team. When he retired in 1940, his 365 wins ranked third all time. Two players have passed him since then, one of whom was his son Calvin, and he currently sists in 5th place all time in wins. Curtis Cunningham was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1946, his first year on the ballot. That same year, he began working as a minor league manager. He managed in the minor league through the 1965 season before choosing to retire. He only recently passed away, in 1988. His son Calvin pitched in the NBL from 1953 through 1977 and later joined his father in the Hall of Fame. His grandson, Charles, is currently a pitcher in the San Francisco Seals' system but has not had the success of his father or grandfather, at least not yet.

Lucian Alphir, OF, 1921-1941
Lucian Alphir debuted in 1921 with the Chicago Cardinals and almost immediately became one of the most feared hitters in their lineup. He spent six years in Chicago and helped them win a World Series. Then prior to the 1927 season, he was traded to the New York Knights in a very lopsided trade that the Cardinals quickly came to regret. The Cardinals did beat the Knights in the 1929 World Series, but that trade had nothing to do with it. Alphir continued to produce for the Knights and helped lead them to 5 more championships before both he and George Herman were cut following the 1938 season. Alphir signed with the Charlotte Roadrunners and played the final three years of his career with them, retiring in 1941. Alphir was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1947, his first year on the ballot. After his baseball career he worked for years as a truck driver. He died in 1974.

Joe Nicholson, 3B, 1921-1942
Joe Nicholson broke into the league in 1921 with the Trenton Tigers. He spent six years in Trenton and was a productive hitter, but did not look like a star. Then after the 1926 season, he was traded to the New York Knights in exchange for Bushrod Lewis, who the Knights were moving on from in order to get younger first baseman Louis Henry into the everyday lineup. That trade turned out to be great for Nicholson, who became the Knights' everyday third baseman and helped them win multiple World Series titles, including taking home World Series MVP honors in 1930. The last few years of his career did not go so well, and Nicholson chose to retire after the 1942 season. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1948, and he died in 1959 of a heart attack. His older brother, Coleman Nicholson, pitched for the Washington Generals in 1912-1914, and was the manager of the Norfolk Destroyers from 1942 to 1948, winning two World Series with them. Joe's grandson, Danny Nicholson, is currently an outfielder for the Charlotte Roadrunners.

Louis Henry, 1B, 1923-1939
Louis Henry signed with the Knights in 1923 and played in a backup role to first baseman Bushrod Lewis for four years. New York saw something in Henry, and eventually decided that it was time to pass the starting first base job on to him. Prior to the 1927 season, the Knights traded Lewis to the Trenton Tigers and handed Henry the starting first base job. Henry rewarded them with many award-winning years at first base as the Knights won five more World Series with him on the team, in addition to the two they had previously won with him in a backup role. Henry abruptly retired at the end of the 1939 season after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. He died in the summer of 1942, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1949, his fith year on the ballot. To date, he is only one of two Hall of Famers to be inducted posthumously, the other being former Rebels pitcher Mike Harding.

Elias Grant, 2B, 1939-1952
Elias Grant had a rather unimpressive rookie season with the Louisville Captains in 1939, and after the season he was traded to the New York Knights along with backup outfielder Al Cardona, in exchange for veteran pitcher Brian Shreve. Shreve won 20 games for the Captains in 1940 but retired after the 1941 season. Cardona spent six years in New York in a backup role. That would have made for about an even trade, but the Knights also got Elias Grant. Grant became a star second baseman right away, swinging this trade easily in the Knights' favor. Despite a couple seasons hampered by injuries, he was a consistent producer through the 1952 season. Despite only being 36 years old, Grant decided to retire at that point. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1958, his first year on the ballot.

Joe Williams, OF, 1935-1956
Joe Williams began his career with the Knights in 1935 and immediately became a star. He spent 22 years in the NBL, all with the Knights. He won 12 MVP awards, 5 World Series titles, the 1935 Rookie of the Year and 3 fielding awards in his career, getting a total of 2,745 hits and 341 home runs. He retired in 1956, and was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try in 1962. He spent four years as the Knights' bench coach from 1979 through 1982.

Brian Poste, P, 1940-1956
Brian Poste spent his entire career with the New York Knights. He won five pitching awards, four World Series and two World Series MVPs in his career, along with earning 249 wins with a 2.16 ERA. He debuted in 1940 and retired in 1956, having six 20-win seasons along the way. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962.

Dan Beaton, P, 1943-1954
Dan Beaton spent 12 years in the league, all with the New York Knights. He made his debut in 1943 and was part of three World Series winning teams while he played for the Knights. He retired in 1954 after an injury plagued season. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964, his 5th year on the ballot.

Dave Jensen, P, 1941-1960 Dave Jensen began his career in 1941 with the Dover Green Sox. He quickly became a solid starter for them and was part of the only World Series championship that the franchise won while in Dover. After seven years in Dover, the Knights traded for him, sending five players to the Green Sox in exchange. Only two of the five players that the Green Sox acquired did anything meaningful for them, while Jensen continued to dominate on the mound in New York, winning the 1946 World Series MVP honors in his first year on the team. He was a significant contributor to the next two champions as well in 1949 and 1950. He retired in 1960, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966, his first year on the ballot.

06-03-2024, 11:11 PM	#24
ericnease84 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Jul 2019 Posts: 144	New York Knights Best Record: 102-23 (1922) Worst Record: 63-99 (1971) Playoff Appearances: 38 Championships: 16 (1897, 1899, 1920, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1942, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1984, 1987) The New York Knights are the most iconic franchise in the National Baseball League, with only the Los Angeles Captains even coming close to matching them. They won two World Series early on, but did not really become an iconic franchise until the 1920s. They acquired a heavy hitting outfielder named George Herman and a star pitcher named Jack Hamilton from the Boston Rebels prior to the 1920 season, and got star pitcher Paul Gottlieb from Pittsburgh in a separate trade that same offseason, and they helped lead the Knights into being the dominant force in the ABC. From 1920 through 1938. they only failed to make the playoffs three times, and those three non-playoff seasons were still winning seasons. They played in 16 World Series during that stretch, winning 8 of them and losing 8 of them. The Knights released Herman following the 1938 season, and he signed with Boston for one year before retiring. They won another World Series in 1942, and then won three in a row from 1947 through 1949. They then proceeded to lose three of them in a row, from 1951 through 1953. Little did they know that their championship in 1950 would be their last until 1984. After making a couple playoff appearances in the late 1950s, they did not make it back to the playoffs until 1977. They finally made it to the World Series again in 1984, their first appearance since 1950. They faced the Roadrunners in that series and defeated them. They made it back to the World Series in 1987 and won that one too, beating the Captains this time. Outlook for 1990: They had a rough 1989, but are expecting to bounce back in 1990 to prove that 1989 was just a fluke. Still, jumping from 90 losses to division winner can prove to be tough. We will see how they do. Current Manager: Evan McBride is the Knights' manager, his first season in that role. He was the bench coach since 1984, and was promoted to manager after the team fired their previous manager Steve George mid-season in 1989. Their AAA manager, Chris Lamont, was interim manager for the rest of 1989, but the team opted to promote McBride to the role instead, and sent Lamont back to his old role in AAA. McBride previously managed the Silverbacks from 1981 through 1983. As a player, he was an outfielder for the Chicago Cardinals from 1961 through 1976. His son, Adam McBride, currently plays in the California Stars' minor league system as a first baseman. Shamel Watkins, P, 1918-1936 Shamel Watkins first signed with the Chicago Cardinals in 1918 as a 20-year old. He lost 20 games his rookie year, but he stuck with it and gradually improved over the next several years. He led the league in wins in 1922, 1923 and 1924 while helping the Cardinals win the World Series in 1923. Two years later, he was traded to the New York Knights, the team he had helped beat in the World Series, in exchange for two players who spent years on the Cardinals but never came close to Watkins' value. He continued to pitch well for the Knights as they won six World Series while he was on the team. He retired after the 1936 season, one of the seasons in which the Knights won the World Series. He was among the first players inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1943. He became the pitching coach of the Orlando Seals in 1948 and spent three years with them before he resigned. In 1953, he was hired as the pitching coach for the Louisville Captains. He moved with the team to Los Angeles and spent the rest of his life as their pitching coach until he died of a heart attack during Spring Training in 1969. Watkins has two grandsons currently playing in the NBL: Damion Watkins is an outfielder for the Baltimore Blackbirds, and Samuel Watkins is a third baseman for the Dallas Coyotes, the sons of Watkins' oldest son. His youngest son also has a son who will be eligible for the draft this summer: pitcher Colt Watkins. Jack Hamilton, P, 1915-1931 Jack Hamilton won 21 games in 1915 as a rookie for the Boston Rebels. After spending five years with the Rebels and winning 98 games, he was dealt in a shocking trade to the New York Knights, along with star outfielder George Herman and talented but oft-injured pitcher Paul Langston. They sent second baseman Seth Pond and outfielder Jeff Metzger (as well as $200,000, likely the real motivation for the trade) back to Boston. Pond spent a decade with the Rebels and never hit well; Metzger hit better but was not there as long. Langston never was able to stay healthy on the mound. But Herman and Hamilton swung this deal completely in favor of the Knights. Hamilton was part of seven World Series championship teams in New York and went on to win 295 games in his career. He retired after the 1931 season, and after staying home for the 1932 season he was hired as the manager of the Cincinnati Silverbacks. Hamilton managed Cincinnati from 1933 until 1938, when he was fired. He became the Baltimore Browns' bench coach in 1941 and remained in that position until he suddenly passed away less than a month after the end of the 1948 season. In 1943, he was among the first five players to be elected to the Hall of Fame. His son, Harry Hamilton, pitched for the Silverbacks from 1954 to 1960, was the Baltimore Blackbirds' manager from 1982 to 1986 and was just hired as the Knights' pitching coach for 1990. Bushrod Lewis, 1B, 1913-1936 Bushrod Lewis began his career with the Knights in 1913 as an 18-year old. He hit .319 as a rookie and immediately established himself iin the starting lineup as he won the Rookie of the Year award. He won many batting awards over his career, and helped the Knights win three World Series. However, following the 1926 season the Knights decided to move on from him, wanting to insert a younger first baseman, Louis Henry, into the lineup. They traded Bushrod Lewis to the Trenton Tigers along with veteran outfielder Joe Green, bringing future Hall of Fame third baseman Joe Nicholson back to New York. Bushrod continued to play well in Trenton, winning batting awards but unfortunately not able to lead them to the playoffs. He retired after the 1936 season with 3,118 career hits, which at the time was the all-time record. He did not make the original Hall of Fame class of 1943, but was elected in his second try in 1944. Lewis never coached professionally, but turned down a couple opportunities to do so over the years. He died in 1970. George Herman, OF, 1917-1939 George Herman broke into the league with the Boston Rebels in 1917. He spent three years in Boston before he was traded to the New York Knights, along with star pitcher Jack Hamilton and pitcher Paul Langston, in exchange for two players and $200,000. Langston and the two players Boston got did not do much for their teams, but Herman and Hamilton helped turn New York into a powerhouse. Herman became the most feared hitter in the league with the large amount of home runs he was hitting, in an era where the home run was not as common. Including his years in Boston, he led the league in home runs every season of his career between 1917 and 1937 except for one year: 1928, which he missed a chunk of due to injury. The Knights won 8 World Series while Herman was on the team, and Herman took home 12 MVP awards during his time in New York. He had previously won one in Boston right before his trade to New York. After the 1938 season, the Knights released Herman with his skills beginning to decline. He returned to Boston for 1939, but after a poor season he retired. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945, his first year eligible. In 1945, Herman also began working as the pitching coach for the Washington Generals, which he did for four years. Then in 1951 he was named the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Ironmen. He did that for six years until he resigned after being diagnosed with cancer. He died in 1958. Curtis Cunningham, P, 1921-1940 Curtis Cunningham, the son-in-law of former NBL pitcher and current (at the time) Cleveland Blue Sox manager Greenberry Stanton (who was fired after that season and chose to retire), broke into the league with the Philadelphia Hornets in 1921. Just prior to Spring Training in 1927, he was dealt to the New York Knights in exchange for four players, none of whom made any notable contribution to the Hornets and only one of whom remained on their roster past 1929 (and he did not play much). Cunningham, on the other hand, continued to excel on the mound for New York as he helped lead them to five championships during his time with the team. When he retired in 1940, his 365 wins ranked third all time. Two players have passed him since then, one of whom was his son Calvin, and he currently sists in 5th place all time in wins. Curtis Cunningham was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1946, his first year on the ballot. That same year, he began working as a minor league manager. He managed in the minor league through the 1965 season before choosing to retire. He only recently passed away, in 1988. His son Calvin pitched in the NBL from 1953 through 1977 and later joined his father in the Hall of Fame. His grandson, Charles, is currently a pitcher in the San Francisco Seals' system but has not had the success of his father or grandfather, at least not yet. Lucian Alphir, OF, 1921-1941 Lucian Alphir debuted in 1921 with the Chicago Cardinals and almost immediately became one of the most feared hitters in their lineup. He spent six years in Chicago and helped them win a World Series. Then prior to the 1927 season, he was traded to the New York Knights in a very lopsided trade that the Cardinals quickly came to regret. The Cardinals did beat the Knights in the 1929 World Series, but that trade had nothing to do with it. Alphir continued to produce for the Knights and helped lead them to 5 more championships before both he and George Herman were cut following the 1938 season. Alphir signed with the Charlotte Roadrunners and played the final three years of his career with them, retiring in 1941. Alphir was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1947, his first year on the ballot. After his baseball career he worked for years as a truck driver. He died in 1974. Joe Nicholson, 3B, 1921-1942 Joe Nicholson broke into the league in 1921 with the Trenton Tigers. He spent six years in Trenton and was a productive hitter, but did not look like a star. Then after the 1926 season, he was traded to the New York Knights in exchange for Bushrod Lewis, who the Knights were moving on from in order to get younger first baseman Louis Henry into the everyday lineup. That trade turned out to be great for Nicholson, who became the Knights' everyday third baseman and helped them win multiple World Series titles, including taking home World Series MVP honors in 1930. The last few years of his career did not go so well, and Nicholson chose to retire after the 1942 season. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1948, and he died in 1959 of a heart attack. His older brother, Coleman Nicholson, pitched for the Washington Generals in 1912-1914, and was the manager of the Norfolk Destroyers from 1942 to 1948, winning two World Series with them. Joe's grandson, Danny Nicholson, is currently an outfielder for the Charlotte Roadrunners. Louis Henry, 1B, 1923-1939 Louis Henry signed with the Knights in 1923 and played in a backup role to first baseman Bushrod Lewis for four years. New York saw something in Henry, and eventually decided that it was time to pass the starting first base job on to him. Prior to the 1927 season, the Knights traded Lewis to the Trenton Tigers and handed Henry the starting first base job. Henry rewarded them with many award-winning years at first base as the Knights won five more World Series with him on the team, in addition to the two they had previously won with him in a backup role. Henry abruptly retired at the end of the 1939 season after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. He died in the summer of 1942, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1949, his fith year on the ballot. To date, he is only one of two Hall of Famers to be inducted posthumously, the other being former Rebels pitcher Mike Harding. Elias Grant, 2B, 1939-1952 Elias Grant had a rather unimpressive rookie season with the Louisville Captains in 1939, and after the season he was traded to the New York Knights along with backup outfielder Al Cardona, in exchange for veteran pitcher Brian Shreve. Shreve won 20 games for the Captains in 1940 but retired after the 1941 season. Cardona spent six years in New York in a backup role. That would have made for about an even trade, but the Knights also got Elias Grant. Grant became a star second baseman right away, swinging this trade easily in the Knights' favor. Despite a couple seasons hampered by injuries, he was a consistent producer through the 1952 season. Despite only being 36 years old, Grant decided to retire at that point. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1958, his first year on the ballot. Joe Williams, OF, 1935-1956 Joe Williams began his career with the Knights in 1935 and immediately became a star. He spent 22 years in the NBL, all with the Knights. He won 12 MVP awards, 5 World Series titles, the 1935 Rookie of the Year and 3 fielding awards in his career, getting a total of 2,745 hits and 341 home runs. He retired in 1956, and was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try in 1962. He spent four years as the Knights' bench coach from 1979 through 1982. Brian Poste, P, 1940-1956 Brian Poste spent his entire career with the New York Knights. He won five pitching awards, four World Series and two World Series MVPs in his career, along with earning 249 wins with a 2.16 ERA. He debuted in 1940 and retired in 1956, having six 20-win seasons along the way. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. Dan Beaton, P, 1943-1954 Dan Beaton spent 12 years in the league, all with the New York Knights. He made his debut in 1943 and was part of three World Series winning teams while he played for the Knights. He retired in 1954 after an injury plagued season. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964, his 5th year on the ballot. Dave Jensen, P, 1941-1960 Dave Jensen began his career in 1941 with the Dover Green Sox. He quickly became a solid starter for them and was part of the only World Series championship that the franchise won while in Dover. After seven years in Dover, the Knights traded for him, sending five players to the Green Sox in exchange. Only two of the five players that the Green Sox acquired did anything meaningful for them, while Jensen continued to dominate on the mound in New York, winning the 1946 World Series MVP honors in his first year on the team. He was a significant contributor to the next two champions as well in 1949 and 1950. He retired in 1960, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1966, his first year on the ballot.