Part 1 of a Five Part Series on 1969 Spring Training “Bob Short’s Picnic Table Diplomacy” 1969’s spring training may have been the most unique in Washington baseball history. Change abounded. The club sported a new owner, Robert E. Short, a celebrity manager, Ted Williams, and even new uniforms (the elegant navy blue pinstripes replaced …
Tag: Ted Williams
Jan 19
The Legacy of Griffith Stadium
I would like to discuss the “Legacy of Griffith Stadium” and some of those wonderful memories of a time in the not so distant past – unfortunately memories are just about all that is left for those who remember major league baseball in Washington DC before the current Washington Nationals. This may serve as a …
Jan 18
This Date in Washington Senators History
January 18 1969 The last-place Washington Senators name former Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams as their new manager. Williams signs a five-year contract worth a reported salary of $75,000 per season. In Williams’ inaugural season as a manager, the Senators will finish with a record of 86-76, the best mark (and their only over …
Jul 15
Hearts and Diamonds
By Ernie Kyger My Dad pointed up toward the roof of DC Stadium and kidded me that they held motorcycle races up there when the Senators weren’t playing. I may have been only 8 years old, but I still didn’t believe him. We walked up to the ticket window where there was a sign that …
Jul 11
Remembering the Last All-Star Game played in the Nation’s Capital
Major League baseball’s mid-summer classic was held at RFK Stadium on July 23, 1969. The sell-out crowd 45,259 that included President Richard M. Nixon witnessed some of the hardest hit home runs in All Star game history. In total there were five home runs hit during the 1969 All Star game. The National League went …
Feb 14
This Day in D.C. Baseball History – Williams agrees to manage Senators
February 14, 1969 – It is reported that Ted Williams has agreed to manage the Washington Senators. From what I could gather Williams agreed to a 5-year contract that would pay him a sizable salary plus shares of the team stock. The exact compensation package could not be verified but it is believed that he …
