On August 20, 1895 the Cleveland Spiders defeat the Washington Senators 8-7. This game features two well known players. Win Mercer in the box and Hank O’Day behind the plate, each at the start of their respective careers. Win Mercer is in his second season. At 21, with 17 wins in his rookie season, he …
Category: D.C. Baseball History
D.C. Baseball History
May 07
Out of the Stadium — Into World Records
With Opening Day just past and still savoring the thrills and excitement of my first day as batboy, I was again taking advantage of the two-day excuse from school that my guidance counselor had granted. Stepping onto the streetcar and dropping my token into the coin box, I was again on my way to Griffith …
May 06
Buckmania
Buck Freeman’s return to the District in 1898 created a wave of Buckmania. The bleachers were quickly renamed Bucksville and fans were in awe of his long home runs. On 12 October 1899 in a 9-7 loss to New York Buck Freeman hits his 25th and last home run of the season. In doing so …
May 05
American League players drawn by Vic Johnson – Ted Williams
From the Mickey Vernon Museum, American League Baseball players drawn by Vic Johnson. This caricature of Ted Williams is just one of a series of 19 caricatures of American League baseball players drawn by ViC. Johnson during 1957. This caricature of Ted Williams and the the other 18, is taken from a composite collection of those illustrations …
May 02
A League of Their Own
The 1992 film, Hollywood’s homage to the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, although the league was at first called the All American Girls Softball League which better described the play for the initial season. The movie, a mix of fact and fiction and remains one of the better baseball movies. If we turn back …
May 01
Ballfield to Battlefield and Back, From FDR to JFK
Coming soon a new DVD! “Ballfield to Battlefield and Back, From FDR to JFK” George Case III has been working closely with Jim Vankoski of the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum on this project for the last several months! In the DVD “Ballfield to Battlefield and Back, From FDR to JFK” there are approximately 130 …
Apr 29
Mickey Vernon and Musical Star Gwen Verdon
The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum, located in Delaware County, PA, is a non-profit museum with the purpose of celebrating the life and career of Mickey himself and the athletes of his home county. It is funded strictly by donations. Mickey Vernon died on September 24, 2008. Two months before he died, he and I were taking a trip to …
Apr 25
Bucky Harris Hall of Fame Induction
Stanley “Bucky” Harris Hall of Fame induction 1975 I was very fortunate to have accompanied my father, as invited guests, of the Harris family to the induction of “Bucky” Harris into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1975. As many of you are aware, Bucky Harris was known as “The Boy Wonder” player-manager for …
Apr 24
Atherton from Penn State
Washington has seen many unique players, none more so than the talented Atherton. Charles Morgan Herbert Atherton, a natural athlete, excelled on the fotball and baseball teams at Penn State.[1] In 1894 in a football game against Oberlin, Atherton booted a 20-yard place kick goal from the field, giving his team a 9-6 come-from-behind. Prior to this, …
Apr 16
Out at Home
The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum, located in Delaware County, PA, is a non-profit museum with the purpose of celebrating the life and career of Mickey himself and the athletes of his home county. It is funded strictly by donations. Mickey Vernon died on September 24, 2008. Two months before he died, he and I were taking a trip to …
