Aug 02
August 2, 1907 — The Senators young pitcher Walter Johnson made his big-league debut in D.C., kicking off a thirty-year baseball career and leaving a lasting imprint on the game. The Washington Senators, with a record of 28-59-2 ties, started the rookie Johnson against the Detroit Tigers, then 29 games ahead of the Senators in …
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 13
July 13, 1867 The Washington Nationals baseball team that was made up by mostly government workers and were led by second baseman George Wright, played their first game of the their western tour. The Nationals could not have asked for a better start to their great tour as they beat up the Capital Club of …
Jul 07
July 7, 1903. In the 5th inning, Senators’ pitcher Al Orth was at third base after a triple to center field. Washington’s Charlie Moran hit a line drive that was caught by Cleveland first baseman Charlie “Piano Legs” Hickman. Unfortunately, Orth was halfway toward home and Hickman threw behind the runner. Unfortunately for Hickman, his throw …
Jul 01
Washington’s Walter Johnson almost pitched perfect game during his July 1, 1920 no-hit game against the Boston Red Sox. I was amazed to find out that the Big Train missed pitching a perfect game by one error. The Big Train pitched a perfect game through six innings. In the bottom of the seventh inning Boston’s …
Jun 17
It is the tenth of July in the hot summer of 1879. Washington is home, hosting the nine from Holyoke. Both teams play in the National Association. The Nationals boys seem to have recovered their batting qualities, and the way they pounded Mickey Welch shows that they are capable of handling any pitcher if they …
May 12
May 12, 1927 — In the third inning of an eventual loss to the White Sox at Comiskey Park, Washington’s Tris Speaker, Sam West and Joe Judge pulled off one of baseball’s rarities — a triple steal. Speaker, taking advantage of Chicago right-hander Ted Blankenship‘s deliberate windup, broke from third base and easily beat Blankenship’s toss to the …
May 07
By Jeff Stuart “A good friend of mine used to say, ‘This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.’ Think about that for a while.” Nuke Laloosh in the Movie BULL DURHAM Sometimes the game is …
Apr 24
For years the Philadelphia Phillies’ clubhouse was deemed hostile. When Steve Carlton refused to talk to Tom Boswell of the Washington Post, Boswell interviewed Calrton’s locker. Carlton warned Boswell never to do this again. A reporter risked his life talking to Gil Hodges locker area. Gil’s faithful companion, Gina was on guard. Hodges rewarded Gina …
Oct 13
By Jeff Stuart In the June 13, 1967 edition of the Washington Star Morris Siegel reported that a fan from Silver Spring had called the Senators’ public relations department that morning. “Please, please tell her (his wife) the game went 22 innings and didn’t end until nearly 3:00 A.M,” he pleaded. When told it was …
