Dec 10
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
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
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
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 …
Mar 09
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 …
Apr 22
As most of you know by now Phil Humber of the Chicago White Sox tossed a perfect game yesterday. Humber’s perfect game was the 21st perfect game in Major League history. This morning I wanted to see how close Washington’s Walter Johnson came to pitching a perfect game during his July 1, 1920 no-hit game …
Apr 02
Baseball is said to be a timeless game. The rhythm of the game and the season bring generations together, and phrases like ‘Bang! Zoom!’ and ‘See you later!’ take on a special meaning around here every spring, summer and fall. Year after year, we pack the ballpark, gather around the television, tune in to broadcasts, …
May 08
You may have heard the story of Pete Van Vleet of Ashland, Virginia, who wrote to every major league team, asking each to make a case for his newborn son, Jack, to be their fan. The 42-year-old Richmond native, a former colleague at The Associated Press, did not have a home team to root for …
Jun 17
Before Walter Johnson was known as the Big Train, he was the Weiser Wonder. In the summer of 1907, Walter Johnson was pitching for the Weiser “semi-pro” team in the Idaho State League. The 19-year old hurler was so dominating that he caught the attention of many Major League scouts from the east. On June …
Jun 13
Stephen Strasburg has been in great company while streaking through this season, blowing past franchise marks for consecutive victories set by Pedro Martinez, Dennis Martinez and Livan Hernandez, and matching Jake Arietta for the major league lead in wins. If that’s not enough, the Nationals star now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with arguably the greatest pitcher of …
