Category: D.C. Baseball History

D.C. Baseball History

This Date in Washington Senators History

Senators Birthdays Jack Russell Spring B Mar. 11, 1933 D Aug 2, 2015 Another “baseball nomad”, pitcher Jack Spring would play for 7 teams over 8 seasons in a career that spanned 11 years. Originally obtained by the Philadelphia Phillies from Spokane of the Western International League before the 1953 season, Spring would make his …

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The Our Babe Marker Mystery is Solved

First posted December of 2012. Last fall I went to the Rockville Union Cemetery to take some pictures of Walter Johnson’s grave site for a future story. This was the first time in forty years I visited the site where Walter Perry Johnson and his wife Hazel Lee Johnson are buried. During my visit at …

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This Date in Washington Senators History

October 30 Senator Managers Clark Griffith, 1912-1920 Record as Senator Manager: 693-646, .518 Pct. Teams Managed: 1912: 91-61 .599 Pct. 2nd 1913: 90-64 .584 Pct. 2nd 1914: 81-73 .526 Pct. 3rd 1915: 85-68 .556 Pct. 4th 1916: 76-77 .497 Pct. 7th 1917: 74-79 .484 Pct. 5th 1918: 72-56 .563 Pct. 3rd 1919: 56-84 .400 Pct. …

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The Beginning of the Griffith Era

October 30, 1911 After meeting with the Washington Senators board of directors, Clark Griffith is named manager of the Washington Senators baseball club. It is also announced that Clark Griffith became the largest stockholder of the club when he purchased 10% of the club’s stock. The Senators’ new skipper will have his hands full as …

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At the Ballpark, Nixon was Unimpeachable

By Jeff Stuart Far from the highs and lows of a tumultuous life in politics, Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, found refuge at the ballpark. As a kid I saw the then Vice President several times walking in what passed for a concourse at Griffith Stadium. To me, his smile seemed …

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Mikey, We Hardly Knew You

By Jeff Stuart “I can’t develop personal relationships with these guys. I gotta be able to trade ’em, send ’em down, sometimes cut them. Which is something you should learn to do, by the way. They’re professional ball players. Just be straight with them. No fluff, just facts. ‘Pete, I gotta let you go. Jack’s …

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Livan Hernandez and the Fine Art of Bunting

By Jeff Stuart It was the 10th inning of a 4-4 game on very hot Sunday afternoon, August 28, 2011 in Cincinnati. Chris Marrero had singled to start the inning and Jesus Flores, the catcher, also singled. Runners on first and second with nobody out. Manager Davey Johnson decided it was time for a bunt, …

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Connie Mack’s Major League Debut

Cornelius Mack, also known as Connie Mack (catcher) made his major league debut on September 11, 1886 as a member of the Washington Nationals. The Nationals didn’t sign the 23-year old Mack because they needed a catcher. They signed Connie Mack to a contract because they needed a pitcher.In the summer of 1886 Washington Nationals …

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My Almost Unbelievable Story

As the baseball season swings into action, just the thought of all the excitement brings back so many of my fondest memories of Griffith Stadium. My almost unbelievable baseball story should commence by saying that as a kid, I was a baseball nut. I loved watching the Washington Senators play and every chance that I …

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Nats debut at Nationals Park a memorable one

March 30, 2008 The Washington Nationals made their debut at the new Nationals Park a special one.  The Nationals 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves was the team’s first opening day victory since the team moved to Washington D.C. in 2005.  The young Nationals showed a lot of poise when they were able to keep …

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