After concluding in late July that the Nationals were not going to compete for a post-season berth, team president and general manager Mike Rizzo jettisoned eight key players on 2021 team: future Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer, all-star shortstop Trea Turner, record-setting slugger Kyle Schwarber, veteran utility man Josh Harrison. starting catcher Yan Gomes, closer Brad Hand, … Continue reading The self-inflicted wounds of the 2021 season →

Every Washington baseball fan old enough can remember it. Those younger undoubtedly have heard about it: the last game played by the Senators, September 30, 1971, at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium. A week earlier, American League owners had given the financial-cheat owner, Bob Short, permission to move the expansion franchise to Arlington, Texas. Many of … Continue reading The last Senators’ game and Howard’s homer →

The expansion Nats famously had to forfeit the final game, September 30, 1971, at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium. The Senators, already scheduled to move to Texas for the 1972 season, were an out away from beating the Yankees, 7-5, in an otherwise meaningless season finale. Angry fans stormed the field and made off with the … Continue reading Expansion Nats’ finale not the only Washington forfeit →

Ed Rommel, a knuckleballer who won 171 games in 13 seasons beginning in 1920, later spent 22 years as an American League umpire. On April 18, 1956, he became the first umpire in the 20th Century to wear eyeglasses during a game. His groundbreaking move, unnoticed at the time, came at Griffith Stadium on a … Continue reading First umpire to wear glasses did it at Griffith Stadium — in 1956 →

The 2018 season at the trade deadline hadn’t gone as Dave Martinez had hoped in his first year managing the Nationals. His team, the preseason favorite to repeat as N.L. East champions, were in third place, a game under .500, on July 31. Other than dumping reliever Brandon Kintzler’s salary on the Cubs, General Manager … Continue reading July 31, 2018: Nationals score a record 25 runs →

Two years after finishing fourth – the Griffith franchise’s last time in the first division – Washington fell to the A.L. basement with 104 losses. On September 11, 1949, the Senators were in New York to play their second doubleheader in two days against the Yankees. The first-place Yanks began the day a game up … Continue reading Sept. 11, 1949: Nats pitchers set dubious record, walking 11 Yankees in one inning. →

On May 8, 2016, at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, the Nationals’ Bryce Harper became the first player in major league history to reach base seven times without an official at-bat. He also became the fourth player to be walked six times in a game. Harper was hit by a pitch the one time he didn’t walk. … Continue reading May 8, 2016: Harper’s seven times up with no at-bats →

Nationals’ slugger Kyle Schwarber was well known for his prodigious power before coming to Washington from the Cubs. After a slow start, Schwarber had a June 2021 that shattered or matched a number of home-run records. He was a clear choice for N.L. Player of the Month. His 12 home runs in 10 games tied … Continue reading Kyle Schwarber’s record-setting month →

Babe Ruth appeared in 171 games at the ballpark that became known as Griffith Stadium, including his last two in a Yankees’ uniform – September 29 and 30, 1934. His homer in the first game of a doubleheader on September 29, a three-run shot, was the last he hit as a Yankee. My 1961 Fleer … Continue reading Ruth hit his last Yankee homer at Griffith Stadium →

On April 27, 1960, at Yankee Stadium, 21-year-old left-hander Jim Kaat gave up three hits and one earned run in seven innings as the Senators beat Hall-of-Famer Whitey Ford. It was Kaat’s only win in a Washington uniform over parts of the 1959 and ’60 seasons. 1960 t Kaat was signed by the Senators in … Continue reading Jim Kaat, last of the Griffith Nats, had a near Hall-of-Fame career →