This Day in D.C. Baseball History – Soriano becomes the 4th player to join 40/40 Club

September 16, 2006 Alfonso Soriano becomes the fourth player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season when he steals his 40th base in the first inning of a game vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. Before the 2006 season came to an end Soriano starts his own club as he becomes the …

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Update – Washington’s All Time Baseball Team(s)

The ballots are coming in very slowly. To help you with your ballots I have created custom batting statistic by position pages for each of the time periods listed below. I hope to have the pitching stats by each of the time periods posted over the next two weeks. 1901-1911 (The Pre-Griffith Years) 1912-1927 – …

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Voices in the Stands

2 May 1903 The season is young and the fans in the District think they have the makings of a special team. Senators 4 Highlander’s 3 Cold windy day, some said more fitted for football. Highball Wilson did not look strong, but he mixed slow and fast curves, with an occasional bit of speed, and …

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Jim Kaat’s letter to Strasburg

As I received a lot of hits on this story I thought I would re-post the story. Long time Washington baseball fans will remember the name Jim Kaat. Jim Kaat was signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent in 1957. The 20 year-old Kaat made his debut on August 2, 1959. With …

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Doc Adkins, Welcome to the Majors

24 June 1902 Boston 6 Washington 7 Washington took kindly to George Winter’s delivery. Doc Adkins who relieved Winter’s after the fifth, allowed the home team only two hits. “Doc Adkins is the cutest thing in the pitching line that has ever come this way. Nothing has ever decorated a Christmas tree, is one, two, …

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John Haskell Umpire and Punching Bag

21 August 1901 21 August Chicago 0 Washington 8 Win Mercer shuts out the White Stockings. The fielding of Billy Clingman being superb. Umpire John Haskell. Time 1:40. Attendance 1,500. In the fourth inning Jack Katoll and Frank Shugart assault Umpire Haskell. “The trouble occurred during the fourth inning. Bill Clarke and Pop Foster of …

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The 1901 Cleveland Riot, 20 July

Washington arrives in Cleveland in fifth place; the Blues are in seventh place. 20 July Washington 9 Cleveland 7 A large Saturday crowd is on hand. The Senators played by far a better fielding game, and gave Case Patten superb support, he scattered ten hits. Ed Scott started to pitch for Cleveland but he lasted …

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The Chesapeake and Potomac Base Ball Club

When we were at the filming of the movie “Day of the Gun,” we had the privilege of spending time with Eugene “Pop” Meacham. Meacham is one the ballplayers featured in the film “Day of the Gun.” and the short “The Day the Aces got Trumped.” “Pop,” as he is known works in the medical …

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This Day in D.C. Baseball History – Strasburg signs record breaking contract with Nats

On August 17, 2009 the Washington Nationals and Stephen Strasburg agreed on a contract just before the August 17th midnight deadline. It is reported Strasburg agreed to sign a four-year deal that will pay approximately $15.1 million. The Nationals made the 21 year-old Strasburg their number one draft pick on June 9, 2009. The fire-baller …

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The days before the Nats signed Stephen Strasburg

With the signing deadline (August 17, 2009) approaching here is what they were saying about the Nationals chances of signing Stephen Strasburg. Keep in mind one year earlier the Nationals failed to sign the team’s 2008 number one draft choice Aaron Crow. The pressure was on the Nats to sign the young phenom from San …

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