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 …
Tag: Walter Johnson
Mar 08
Better Late Than Never
March 8, 1915 Charlottesville, VA Walter Johnson arrived a day later than expected to the Washington Senators training camp. Instead of being upset with Johnson the Senators’ owners were delighted to see him. With Johnson’s arrival to camp it left no doubt that he was going to pitch for the Senators this season. That wasn’t …
Feb 27
This Date in Washington Senators History – Walter Johnson has Surgery
February 27 1908 In Fullerton, California, Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson is operated on for an infection of themastoid area behind the right ear. The doctors remove a section of the bone, and the recuperation will keep Johnson sidelined until late May. Despite his late start in the season, Johnson (See November 6th birthdays.) will …
Feb 22
Big Train’s Throw Across the Rappahannock River
February 22, 1936 Originally posted on Feb,22, 2008 Fredericksburg, Virginia To celebrate George Washington’s 204th birthday the town of Fredericksburg planned a daylong celebration. To cap off the day the city invited baseball legend Walter Johnson to duplicate George Washington’s legendary throw of a silver dollar across the Rappahannock River. As the story goes U.S. …
Dec 10
Walter Johnson – Gone But Not Forgotten
On this day in 1946, Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Perry Johnson succumbs to a brain tumor. The 59 year-old Johnson was diagnosed with the brain tumor eight months earlier when he traveled from his farm in Germantown to the Georgetown University Hospital complaining of severe headaches. The news about Johnson’s death was not a …
Nov 06
This Date in Washington Senators History – Happy Birthday, Walter Johnson!
November 6 Happy Birthday, Walter Johnson! Walter Perry Johnson B: Nov. 6, 1887 D: Dec. 10, 1946 “The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup. And then something went past me that made me flinch. The thing just hissed with danger. We couldn’t touch him… every one of us knew …
Aug 22
This Date in Washington Senators History – ’25 Senators crush Tigers 20-5
August 22 1905 – The Nationals will take a win anyway they can. At Detroit, umpire John Sheridan awards a forfeit win to the Nationals when Detroit refuses to begin play after an argument. Washington is leading in the 11th, 2-1, when Sheridan awards the forfeit. 1915 – Seeing their 9 game win streak fall …
Aug 02
This Date in Washington Senators History – Walter Johnson Day
August 2: Walter Johnson Day We salute the greatest pitcher of all time, Walter Johnson. 1907 – A new era of Washington baseball begins. More than 10,000 jam Washington’s League Park to see the debut of a highly publicized and much ballyhooed pitcher by the name of Walter Johnson. The 19 year old Johnson pitches …
Jul 22
The Big Train Keeps on Rolling
July 22, 1923 Walter Johnson, the Washington Senators star pitcher, becomes the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to strikeout 3,000 batters. Walter “ Big Train” Johnson rolled right over the Cleveland Indians as the Senators beat the Indians 3–1. The victory was The Big Train’s ninth of the season and the Senators won …
Jul 01
Almost Perfect – Big Train’s No Hitter
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 …
