Category: D.C. Baseball History

D.C. Baseball History

This Date in Washington Senators History – Walter Johnson wins first game

August 7 1907 – The last place Nationals bottle up the visiting Naps, 7-2. This victory would have been uneventful if not for the fact that Walter Johnson wins his first ML game. Cleveland scatters only 4 hits off Johnson. 1918 – Jim Shaw is relieved in today’s 6-2 loss in Chicago by Sam Rice. …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Rookie Sid Hudson pitches second 1-hit shutout

August 6 1917 – Eddie Plank, in the last game of his career, squares off against Walter Johnson in a fabulous, 11 inning pitching duel, won by Johnson, 1-0. The 41 year old Plank, no doubt tired of pitching for the sad Browns, will announce his retirement in a week, despite a 1.79 ERA. 1922 …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – ’59 Senators end 18 game losing streak

August 5 1902 – Rookie pitcher Otto Hess of the Bronchoes, making his second start since being signed at an open tryout, struggles his way to a 7-6, 10 inning victory in Cleveland. SS Johnny Gochnauer, who sustained a broken finger earlier in the contest, doubles in the tying run in the 8th and belts …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Wounded WW II hero Bert Shepard pitches for Senators

August 4 1908 – In a 7-5 loss at Cleveland‚ the Nationals’ Otis Clymer and Jim Delahanty draw suspensions for verbally abusing umpire Silk O’Loughlin. Delahanty‚ fined $50 by Ban Johnson, is banned from the Cleveland ballpark for one year for his behavior‚ though he denies that the language he used could be heard all …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Roy Siever’s walk off home run beats Tigers

August 3 1906 – In a duel of Tom’s, the National’s Tom Hughes and the Brown’s Tom Glade, the Nats defeat the Browns, 1-0, in 10 innings. Hughes homers in the top of the 10th for the only score of the game. In the process, Hughes becomes the first pitcher ever to win his own …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Walter Johnson Day

August 2: Walter Johnson Day We salute the greatest pitcher of all time, Walter Johnson.  1907 – A new era of Washington baseball begins. More than 10,000 jam Washington’s League Park to see the debut of a highly publicized and much ballyhooed pitcher by the name of Walter Johnson. The 19 year old Johnson pitches …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Happy Townsend not So Happy after walking 12 batters

August 1 1902 – The umpire must have had a tight strike zone. Washington right hander John “Happy” Townsend is all frowns as he walks 12 batters in a 13-0 loss at Detroit. 1912 – In the bottom of the 6th, home plate umpire Connolly fails to see that Washington C Rip Williams drops the …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – ’52 Senators are still in the pennant race

July 31 1909 – Once again, the Nats offense fails to score a run for Walter Johnson in a home 1-0 defeat to the White Sox in the first of two. The Nats narrowly avoid being no-hit by Sox P Bill Burns when Otis Clymer singles with 2 outs in the 9th. Washington cannot find …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Coveleski’s 13 game win streak ends

1925 – Dipping 2.5 games behind league leading Philadelphia, the Senators are hammered at home by Chicago,11-1. The personal 13 game win streak of Stan Coveleski comes to an end.

Hansen’s Unassisted Triple Play

July 30, 1968 On a hot evening at Cleveland Stadium the 5,937 fans in attendance witnessed a baseball rarity. In the bottom of the 1st inning the Cleveland Indians had runners on 1st and 2nd base when Joe Azcue lined a ball to the Washington Senators shortstop Ron Hansen. Before anyone knew what had happened …

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