April 14 is the anniversary of two of the best games Washington’s Walter Johnson pitched in his magnificent career. On that date in 1926, at age 39, he went 15 innings to beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 1-0. He allowed six hits and let no runner advance beyond first base. Johnson himself considered this his masterpiece, … Continue reading Is Walter Johnson the all-time greatest pitcher?
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Presidential openers and D.C.
During his long tenure in Washington, Clark Griffith cultivated relationships with every U.S. President from William Howard Taft to Dwight Eisenhower. The Nats’ owner helped keep baseball going during World War I and again in World War II. See my SABR team ownership history (or on this site) of the original Senators for more about … Continue reading Presidential openers and D.C.
The University of Maryland, the Nats and MLB
College Park, home of the University of Maryland’s main campus, is just eight miles by car outside of Washington, D.C. The proximity came into play during World War II when travel restrictions forced major league teams to find spring training sites nearer their home cities. In 1943, ’44 and ’45, the Senators arranged to train … Continue reading The University of Maryland, the Nats and MLB
Who, if anyone, was the model for ‘Joe Hardy’?
Joe Hardy was the fictional baseball star created by J. Douglass Wallop in his 1954 novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, adapted soon after for Broadway and film as Damn Yankees. Middle-aged Washington Senators fan Joe Boyd makes a deal with the devil to become a great player (Joe Hardy) and, he hopes, … Continue reading Who, if anyone, was the model for ‘Joe Hardy’?
All-Star Games in D.C.: 1937, 1956, 1962, 1969 and 2018
During the depth of the Great Depression, with a quarter of the American workforce unemployed, baseball attendance had fallen by 40 percent. A World’s Fair was scheduled in Chicago in the summer of 1933, and the city’s mayor wanted a major sports event to accompany it. He asked the publisher of the Chicago Tribune for … Continue reading All-Star Games in D.C.: 1937, 1956, 1962, 1969 and 2018
Walter Johnson, George Washington and the Rappahannock
Next to the apocryphal story about George Washington and the cherry tree, the most familiar tale told about the Father of Our Country involves what he threw across the Rappahannock River. It was even mentioned on the iconic Beach Boys’ album, All Summer Long, in 1964.* Unlike the essential details of young George chopping down … Continue reading Walter Johnson, George Washington and the Rappahannock
The Cracker Jack Classics and other RFK exhibitions
For six years, starting in 1982, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium played host to a star-studded old-timers game that was originally called the Cracker Jack Old Timers Baseball Classic. On July 19, 1982, a crowd of 29,196 attended the first of these five-inning games with the proceeds benefiting players who retired before the pension system … Continue reading The Cracker Jack Classics and other RFK exhibitions
Post-1900 A.L., N.L., Washington has never been no-hit at home*
Playing at home, Washington's American and National League teams -- be it the current Nationals, the original Nationals/Senators or the expansion Senators -- have never been no-hit.* Here's a look at the visiting teams that have been no-hit in D.C. and no-hitters throw by Washington pitchers on the road. The Nationals, 2005 to 2022: Nationals’ … Continue reading Post-1900 A.L., N.L., Washington has never been no-hit at home*
Sept. 26, 1964: At D.C. Stadium, Stottlemyre was last pitcher to get five hits at bat
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the designated hitter became universal for 2022. Pitchers, unless another Shohei Ohtani emerges, will no longer routinely bat in either league. So it’s worth looking back at a memorable game 58 seasons ago: September 26, 1964, the last time a pitcher actually had – and will ever again have … Continue reading Sept. 26, 1964: At D.C. Stadium, Stottlemyre was last pitcher to get five hits at bat
April 11, 1966: Emmett Ashford’s debut comes at D.C. Stadium
Emmett Ashford had trouble getting into D.C. Stadium on April 11, 1966, to become the first Black umpire in the Major Leagues. A Secret Service detail protecting Vice President Hubert Humphrey, there to throw out opening day’s ceremonial first pitch, stopped Ashford under the grandstands as he entered the stadium. “Listen, there are no Negro … Continue reading April 11, 1966: Emmett Ashford’s debut comes at D.C. Stadium
Ted’s poor 1946 World Series: ‘The Curse of Mickey Haefner’
Mickey Haefner was a decent lefty pitcher for an up-and-down Washington team from 1943 to ’49. He won 10 or more games five seasons in a row, topping out at 16 in 1945. No taller than 5-foot-7 (not 5-8, as he himself confirmed in 1943), his nickname was “Itsy-Bitsy.” Despite the “last in American League” … Continue reading Ted’s poor 1946 World Series: ‘The Curse of Mickey Haefner’
Charlie Brotman, voice of the Senators and the inaugurals
Charlie Brotman grew up in D.C. and graduated from McKinley Tech High School in 1946. After two years in the Navy, he decided he wanted to be a sports announcer. “Who didn’t?” he once told an interviewer, so he enrolled at the National Academy of Broadcasting in the District, in addition to attending classes at … Continue reading Charlie Brotman, voice of the Senators and the inaugurals
A hospital’s mini-tribute to Griffith Stadium
After Washington's Griffith Stadium was torn down in February 1965, nearby Howard University acquired the 8.5-acre property for $1.5 million, to build what is now a 250-bed teaching hospital. The hospital opened in 1975. A historic marker, attached to a utility pole, notes existence of the stadium from 1911 until its demolition. The marker, placed … Continue reading A hospital’s mini-tribute to Griffith Stadium
Expansion Nats’ finale not the only Washington forfeit
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
First umpire to wear glasses did it at Griffith Stadium — in 1956
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
A Washington baseball quiz
Try to answer these before looking at BaseballReference.com. The answers to many of them can be found in posts elsewhere on this site. Who played in the last game of the original Senators and in the last game of the expansion Senators? Who in the A.L. finished second in batting average to Ted Williams the … Continue reading A Washington baseball quiz
Is Soto the next Ted Williams? MLB.com thinks so
Update Dec. 24, 2020: On Dec. 5, 2020, under the headline “This young star is the next Ted Williams,” MLB.com’s Mike Petriello took a deep dive into Juan Soto’s performance through the 2020 season. (https://www.mlb.com/news/juan-soto-is-on-hall-of-fame-track) Nationals fans are well aware of how jaw-droppingly good Soto has been since his debut, but it was great to … Continue reading Is Soto the next Ted Williams? MLB.com thinks so
Sanchez and Scherzer: a pair of historic performances
Nov. 1, 2020: Twice in MLB playoff history, a team has had two of its pitchers carry no-hitters into the sixth innings or later in back-to-back games. The two teams were different – the Detroit Tigers in 2013 and the Washington Nationals in 2019 – but the two pitchers were the same: Anibal Sanchez and … Continue reading Sanchez and Scherzer: a pair of historic performances
Soto’s Citi Field blasts and a look at long homers
Aug. 13, 2020: Two days after Juan Soto hit a 463-foot homer to dead center at New York's Citi Field, the Nationals young slugger topped that with 466-foot blast to right against the Mets, one of two he hit in an 11-6 loss on Aug. 12. Soto's blast, the third longest hit at Citi Field … Continue reading Soto’s Citi Field blasts and a look at long homers
The unlikely story of a baseball fan from Scotland
A guy born in Glasgow, Scotland, hit a home run often called “the shot heard 'round the world.” It sent the New York Giants to the 1951 World Series. As a Scot by birth, I would like to say that Bobby Thomson (no “p” by the way), known as the “Flying Scot,” inspired me to … Continue reading The unlikely story of a baseball fan from Scotland
Washington baseball history 