Tag: Walter Johnson

The Passion of Senators Fans in 1969: The Raucous Welcome for the Nats at Friendship Airport

(Part 1 of a 3-part series) Starved for a winner, Washington baseball fans went a little crazy when it looked like they might actually get one in 1969. Once the thrill of having Ted Williams on board as manager wore off, the team had to prove themselves in the standings. After 16 years of losing …

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This Date in Washington Senators History – Johnson pitches his 5th Opening Day shutout

April 23 1903 – The New York Highlanders won their first major-league game with a 7-2 decision over the Washington Senators. Pitcher Harry Howell gets the win for New York. 1919 – Walter Johnson records his 5th Opening Day shutout, defeating the Philadelphia Athletics 1-0 in 13 innings. Click here for the Box Score. 1969 …

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Walter Johnson beats Newly Named Yankees

April 10, 1913 Behind the superb pitching of Walter Johnson  the Washington Senators beat the newly named New York Yankees 2-1. With the Yankees only run being an unearned run, Johnson begins a  streak of shutout innings that will reach a record 56 innings. Johnson will go on to have his greatest season of his …

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The Beginning of the Big Trian’s Greatest Season

April 10, 1913 Behind the superb pitching of Walter Johnson the Washington Senators beat the newly named New York Yankees 2-1. With the Yankees only run being an unearned run Walter Johnson begins a streak of shutout innings that will reach a record 56 innings. Walter Johnson will go on to have his greatest season …

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The Our Babe Marker Mystery is Solved

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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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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. …

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This Date in Washington Senators History

April 28 1911 – Walter Johnson picks up his first victory of the season with a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia. The only run yielded by the the “Big Train” is a solo HR to Frank “Home Run” Baker. This will be the first of 25 wins for Johnson as he will finish fifth in the …

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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 …

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