D.C. Baseball History
Aug 21
August 21 1908 – Today marks the 113th anniversary of Gabby Street‘s famed Washington Monument catch. Two Nats fans by the names of Preston Gibson and John Biddle make a $500 wager on whether a ball that is dropped from the top of the Washington Monument can be caught on the fly. Gibson and Biddle …
Aug 20
August 20 1912 – Walter Johnson and Jay Cashion give Washington fans plenty of cheer in a twinbill. In the opener, the Big Train sets the AL record with his 15th consecutive win, a 4-2 victory over Cleveland. Johnson is upstaged in the second game by Cashion, who fashions a 2-0, 6 inning, no-hitter. The …
Aug 19
August 19 1907 – Washington pitcher Sam Lanford makes his ML debut a memorable one for all the wrong reasons. The righthander makes the start at Chicago and allows 4 runs, 2 walks, plunks 2 batsmen, tosses a wild pitch and balks-all in the 1st inning. Lanford pitches until the 3rd inning, during which he …
Aug 18
August 18 1918 – The Senators defeat the Browns for the first time at home this year, 2-1. Winner Jim Shaw pitches a 4 hitter. Washington, for all intents and purposes, is eliminated from pennant contention, remaining 5.5 games back with 14 games left in the war shortened season. 1938 – New Yankee pitcher Wes …
Aug 18
This Date In Washington Baseball History – August 18, 1942 On December 8, 1941, prompted by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States formally entered World War II. Soon afterward, many prominent major league and minor league baseball players either enlisted or were drafted into the United States Armed Forces. Faced with losing …
Aug 17
August 17 1909 – Starting for the second day in a row, Walter Johnson yields 4 hits in 12 innings of a 1-0 Nationals victory over Philadelphia. 1919 – A then Tiger record crowd of 31,500 descend upon Navin Field to witness Detroit’s, 4-2, 11 inning loss to the Nats. Both teams combine to hit …
Aug 16
August 16 1909 – The A’s storm Walter Johnson for 6 runs in 5 innings of a 6-1 Nats loss. Johnson accounts for the Nats lone run with his first big league homer. Johnson’s blast, only the 3rd homer that clears the Washington LF fence, goes through a window of an adjacent building. 1912 – …
Aug 15
August 15 1916 – His record falling to 0-3 against Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson does not receive run support in dropping a 1-0, 13 inning decision to Boston. The Big Train gives up only 5 hits in 12 innings. Ruth allows only one hit from the 7th inning on, an infield single to the speedy …
Aug 14
August 14 1908 – Walter Johnson fires a 2 hitter over Chicago, 1-0. Johnson’s no hit bid is foiled by Pale Hose P Doc White in the top of the 9th. 1915 – The Babe and the Big Train square off for the first time as opposing pitchers. Ruth and the hometown Red Sox come …
Aug 13
1944 – The Nats take the broom to the Tribe in Washington, 2-1 and 4-1. P Mickey Haeffner wins the opener. Behind Stan Spence‘s 3 run homer in the 1st, Early Wynn is the victor of the second game. Nats SS John Sullivan starts an AL record 5 double plays and goes 3-for-3 in the finale.
