D.C. Baseball History
Aug 02
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 …
Aug 01
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 …
Jul 31
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 …
Jul 30
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.
Jul 30
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 …
Jul 29
July 29 1915 After whiffing in his first 3 AB’s, Walter Johnson wins his own game with a deep hit to CF in the bottom of the 10th. Washington defeats Cleveland, 2-1. The Nats move above the .500 mark for good. 1931 The Nats are allergic to home plate as they tie another record of …
Jul 28
1927 For the final time in his illustrious career, Walter Johnson finds his name in the win column. Johnson wins his 417th game in a 12-2 Nats bouncing of Chicago. With the Nats sitting 14 back of the rapidly disappearing Yankees, manager Bucky Harris decides to go with younger pitchers for the rest of the season. Box Score
Jul 27
1915 – Rip Hagerman of the Indians and the Sens Bert Gallia lock horns in a pitchers duel, with Gallia allowing only a single hit in a 1-0 Washington victory. Clyde Milan steals home in the top of the 1st for the game’s only score.
Jul 27
July 27, 2009 Josh “The Hammer” Willingham accomplished a very rare feat when he became only the 13th player in major league baseball history to hit two grand slams in one game. Willingham’s first grand slam came off of the Brewers’ starting pitcher Jeff Suppan in the fifth inning. The second grand slam occurred only …
Jul 26
July 26 1916 – Tiger Harry Heilmann receives an ovation from the Detroit faithful for saving a drowning woman in the Detroit River last night. Heilmann and the Cats go out and defeat the Nats, 6-5, for the second consecutive day. 1918 – Time is quickly becoming the enemy of Washington with the last day …
