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| 30th President of the United States Calvin Coolidge gets set to throw out the first pitch of the 1924 World Series (Photo by AP.) |
It has been a long time coming for baseball in the district, but before the Nationals commence the NLDS and a new era in Washington, their previous playoff appearances deserve a look back. A Washington baseball team made the playoffs just three times in the 20th century, here is a look at those series.
1924 – World Series
Washington Senators vs. New York Giants
Result: Won in seven games
At 36 years old and in his 18th major league season, Senators pitching great Walter Johnson finally got to play in a World Series with the 1924 team. The ‘Big Train’ actually lost both of his starts, including a 12-strikeout effort in Game 1, but earned a win in relief with four scoreless innings in Game 7.
The Senators came back from down in the series 0-1, 1-2, and 2-3 to win the final two games by one run each. Both Game 1 and Game 7 lasted 12 innings, the decisive one won on a walkoff hit by Earl McNeely at Griffith Stadium.
Washington won the city’s only World Series and beat a Giants team with eight future Hall of Famers on the field and another in the dugout in manager John McGraw.
1925 – World Series
Washington Senators vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
Result: Lost in seven games
Johnson and the Senators were back in the World Series just a year later, this time around seeing a near exact opposite result. This time Johnson won his starts in Game 1 and Game 4, but lost Game 7 (allowing nine runs on 15 hits). And instead of playing from behind, the Senators jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the series and even won Game 4 by a score of 4-0.
Pittsburgh won the last three games of the series including a Game 7 mired by heavy rain and fog. The Senators entered the eighth inning up 7-6 with Johnson on the mound. Johnson got the first two outs before a Pirates rally that scored two runs and set them up for the victory. Senators manager Bucky Harris received criticism for keeping Johnson in the game too long afterwards from fans and even the Commissioner of the American League.
1933 – World Series
Washington Senators vs. New York Giants
Result: Lost in five games
Nine years after their 1924 meeting, the Giants got revenge on the Senators in a series that ended in two extra innings games. The Senators earned the A.L. pennant that season with 99 wins which is still the best for a D.C. baseball team.
Both Game 4 and Game 5 were games the Senators came back to tie, but ended up losing in extras. In Game 4 Washington tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI single by catcher Luke Sewell. New York’s Blondy Ryan then hit the game-winning run in the top of the 11th off Monte Weaver.
The Senators tied Game 5 in the sixth inning with a three-run homer by Fred Schulte off Hal Schumacher of the Giants. The game would remain scoreless until the tenth inning when Future Hall of Famer Mel Ott scored the go-ahead run with a solo homer off Jack Russell.
60 comments:
Nice story about the Nats in the Boston Globe
Sounds like Calvin Cooledge needs to be a new Racing President!
Sorry, Coolidge. People can yell COOOOOOL LIDGE.
I've got to say I'm conflicted on the O's victory. First, from a purely baseball standpoint, I like the idea of the O's and the Yankees taking their end-of-season showdown to the next level. I expect the Yankees to win, but it should be a good series. But second, from a Nats standpoint, I endorse almost all the negative things written here about Peter Angelos and his quest to keep baseball out of the DC metro area. And, by playing the Yankees, the O's end up with more national exposure, even if they lose and the Nats win. Yet, on a third more personal level, I was glad to see the Rangers lose given their history and what they unleashed on the country.
The two teams that I could not stomach winning it all are the Braves and the O's. One down, one to go.
I am a sucker for an underdog story. I hate Yankees. The O's can take care of humiliating the Yankees and then they can start losing. How about a series with the Nats and the Oakland "Former Nats"? I am still stunned that both teams that won were not at home . The Braves were playing very well this last month and looked like a lock with Medlen on the mound. Texas has a powerful lineup and were in the WS the last 2 years. This new format is crazy.
The O's won't get too far with a paste by the numbers roster. Still, given their injuries to players like Markakis? Resurrecting players like Joe Saunders and McLouth? Very much like the Nats 2005 roster.
The Braves were playing very well this last month and looked like a lock with Medlen on the mound. Texas has a powerful lineup and were in the WS the last 2 years. This new format is crazy.
Now, we can see good examples as to why all the managers feared and almost loathed ending up as a wildcard team. Anything can happen in a single game. They definitely need to change the format ... it should at least be a best of 3 series.
I don't know - there is something very urgent and exciting about the one game play-in. I know they wanted to place more importance on winning the division - it certainly worked. The part I don't like this year is starting on the road when you supposedly have home field advantage. I know that's changing next year. One more day of being casual spectators.
There are puddles of water all over Atlanta. If they continue crying and whining they may have to post flood warnings.
Me, I like it when we talk about what unites us and brings us to this unique venue rather than what divides (some of) us. But maybe that's just me. Heck, there's plenty more we can argue about, like the infield fly rule for example. :-)
Torturing Poopy McPoop was good fun. He really had a hard time with me ... ~smiles~ now he's changed his handle ... due to the new WaPo monitoring. And they do monitor quite closely.
People can say DC owner Griffith blocked Baltimore for years ... I'm sure that racist did indeed do so ... not as big a racist as the Redskins first owner, still ...
And then they finally get the St. Louis Browns in exchange for major league baseball allowing Griffiths to eventually move his team west where he deemed all the money was.
But, the way Baltimore lorded it over DC losing its original franchise and then getting a pathetic expansion team with a horrendous owner ... and then the "smoky back room" politics involved with ensuring the team would return to a Baltimore owner's hands so that the team wouldn't suddenly be moved to DC and a new stadium ... snorting with laughter and glee as they ripped off the entire state of Maryland's tax money to turn the city of Baltimore into the ultimate example of urban renewal. Including 2 sports franchises stadiums nestled in the midst of the Innuh Habbah. Meanwhile, blocking the Redskiins owner from building his stadium in lucrative Montgomery County by blocking any and all infrastructure upgrades allowing access to said stadium. Instead it ends up in the armpit that Abe Pollin abandoned rushing to get away and get into DC and the Capital Centre.
And then a corrupt mob lawyer blocking and DC team moving into his area ... for decades ... scaring off potential ownership groups. Until one appeared that wasn't afraid of Angelos, was a true DC local, and had more money than any owner in major league baseball. And to do so he had to agree to be screwed royally for his team's media rights by the corrupt and crooked mob lawyer.
And then there's the obnoxious Arbutians who go to O's games. Worse than any in baseball.
There's no redeeming characteristic associated with Baltimore and its Orioles. They would sell sour, rancid Cal Ripken milk to babies.
peric @ 11:41,
On one level I agree with you on the three-game series; baseball has too much randomness in it to believe that one game really demonstrates which is the superior. But I also tend to believe the players and managers who talk about the dangers of idleness before and between series. Making the play-in series a best two out of three would extend the time between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the NLDS/ALDS by at least another three days (you've got to include a travel day in the planning as I assume there would be some sort of rotation between cities). Even if you let the other playoff series start before the WC is decided, that would mean, essentially, a week between the end of the season and the first game for the team with each league's best record. I don't see that as a positive.
I'm with you Peric. Angelos only cares about money. That's what the DC embargo was all about.
Mark: THANK YOU.... this what I was hoping you would post. The front page of the Post was EXCELLENT. I had no idea a fan from 1924 was still around and as sharp as a whip.
Now, the Nats should invite and honor this 99 year old DC boy before the first playoff game on Wed!
the famous quote by old silent Cal was of course when a woman once said to him, "I bet my husband that I can make you say more than 2 words"
Cal simply said in a straight face "You lose"
I think that would be fun, swami. I suspect the network suits wouldn't agree, but too bad for them. :-)
How about a series with the Nats and the Oakland "Former Nats"?
An old friend in the Bay Area is hoping for a Giants/A's series (without the earthquake), but she knows I'd prefer that my boys are still in it.
Mick I will say that Cal Sr. was a classy guy. Probably why Cal and Billy turned out to be major league players.
Love all players from Balti per-Angelos. Cal was pre-Angelos. Palmeiro and Sosa and all those juicers can rot with Angelos carcass.
Let's be fair to Clark Griffith, he was a great owner and ahead of his time. His adopted son Clark (not many know he was adopted) was a racist jack ass. When DC Stadium was built, the Griffith's went from owners to renters and thus lost profits by not owning DC stadium. When Clark took over the team in 1955, it was all down hill, as this moron who hated Blacks so much denied some of the greatest local athletes a chance to play for the ball club, among one of them Maury Wills, of course he then moved the team to Minneapolis in 1961
So two lousy human beings destroyed baseball temporarily in DC, Bob Short in 1971, and Clark Griffith, both whom are not missed.
a week between the end of the season and the first game for the team with each league's best record. I don't see that as a positive.
Yes, there's that and a lengthened season. I don't see owners shortening it back to what it used to be to accommodate an extended playoff format. But, you never know its all incumbent on TV revenues and I should think those would be higher for playoff match ups, the more the merrier.
If a team is truly championship caliber it should have the discipline to stay honed during that week off ... shouldn't it?
So two lousy human beings destroyed baseball temporarily in DC, Bob Short in 1971, and Clark Griffith, both whom are not missed.
Make that 4. Add in Peter Angelos and William Donald Schaefer.
Josh Hamilton just laid over yesterday. 0-4 with 2 Ks, and that first inning doubleplay that showed so little effort when his team had 1st and 3rd with no outs in the 1st.
I can not stand Angelos and never will... but I have had the pleasure of meeting several old Orioles and they are all great human beings... Johnny Oates comes first, just a great guy and so sad when he passed, both Cal Sr and Jr, Elrod Hendricks, Dave McNally, Larry Sheets all come to mind and of course Davey. Put Angelos aside gang, there are some good dudes past and present with the O's
Peric lololololo
Ghost... I suspect the Rangers window may be over
mick, supposedly the Rangers have a great farm system, so maybe not. Anyway, I won't miss them in the playoffs this year, and I pity the team that signs Hamilton and all his drama.
NatsLady said...
mick, supposedly the Rangers have a great farm system, so maybe not. Anyway, I won't miss them in the playoffs this year, and I pity the team that signs Hamilton and all his drama.
maybe Dan Synder can sign him.... woops, wrong sport, lol
NatsLady is correct again on the Rangers and Hamilton.
Mick, of course. Vintage Os. I only hate the Phillies more. Yes, hate. I like the Ravens so it's just Angelos and his team and their O chant.
I like Joe Saunders.
Agree Rangers' window may have past. Unless they morph into the Lone Star Giants, dominating w/ pitching (Darvish was very impressive). Young definitely on the downside. Kinsler had a crumby year and is mediocre on D, at best. Andrus hasn't lived up to potential. Hamilton is too high maintenance to be worth bringing back. Gentry and Murphy are fill-ins. Napoli is as bad behind the plate as Uggla is at 2B. DeSoto acquisition was pathetic.
Wow. After Beltre, there's nothing good to say. Glad (for them) they got a good TV contract because they're going to be playing in front of a lot of empty seats.
"passed" not "past." (Grinding teeth.)
Here is my list of AL teams that I in order of least to most feared:
Detroit - big boppers and Verlander + Scherzer. Just play a clean game. Gio and JZ can match their Aces, and our O can match theirs. I ain't a-sceered o' no Tigers.
A's - young and hunry--and deep--like the Nats, but Davey will ou manage Melvin.
O's - like a sibling rivalry. Strangely, the Nats are the stronger sibling. Just keep that in mind. Davey is just as smart as Showalter.
Yanks - how much have the boys learned since June? Girardi won't make mistakes and nor will the players. They really want this one after previous years. Will need all of Davey's, Werth's and ALR's smarts, and the Kid's energy.
This is fun.
Once they fix the 2-3 scheduling of the NLDS, the new format is just fine. Why shouldn't Texas, which collapsed and lost its division, have to play a one and done play-in game? Same for the Braves. They had 162 games to catch the Nats. They couldn't do it. They don't deserve any more of a chance than they got.
Now we have four pretty interesting NLDS series to watch. And a home game in DC on Wednesday. This is heaven.
With all the money the Rangers have at their disposal, they will be a power for a long time. Just depends on how they want to spend it. If they shell out for Hamilton, that will be an indicator they are more interested in sentiment than winning. But I don't expect they will. Oh, and they need a better manager,
All the Rangers needed to do was not get swept by the A's. I have no sympathy.
Nats Lady --
Johnson is smarter than Showalter. First, Johnson never keel-hauled his third base coach for a disastrous season. Second, for as much as people say Showalter allows his players to "just play," he's burned out every team he managed within a couple of years.
Unless I miss my guess, the Os will regress substantially next year. With allowances for Muchado's inexperience -- and I think he's a fine talent; I'm just reserving judgment -- the Orioles have at most two players in their starting lineup who would make the Nats roster let alone play every day.
How they won this year I have no idea. I think it was an accident.
I don't think Showalter allows his players to just play, in the sense that Davey does. In my (limited) observation he moves them around like chess pieces. Davey, on the other hand, establishes "roles" and wants players to "express their talent" by developing their strengths in that role. The exception is LF (where he puts whoever he can't find room for when he wants a hitter--there being no DH; and the Clip/Storen).
Section222 - tend to agree. This has added a completely new dynamic to September and early October. You think you are good enough to challenge three division winners? Prove it! Yesterday I said that I thought it was time to show Medlen that he is mortal. Mission accomplished. I think the Braves are in shock over that. They seem to be forgetting that Ross got an extra strike in his at bat that led to a 2 run home run. He should have been out before that pitch. Pretty convenient amnesia, huh? As for the Rangers - on paper they should be better and that in itself is a problem. With their roster, especially their hitting line up? Something is just a little bit off down there. When are we going to see the roster? Twitter is saying that Lannan and DeRosa are not on it, but I haven't seen anything official and they are all in the air right now, so someone knows.
Not that I don't have confidence in my Nats but we do have a couple of series to get through first.
NatsLady said...
Here is my list of AL teams that I in order of least to most feared:
Detroit - big boppers and Verlander + Scherzer. Just play a clean game. Gio and JZ can match their Aces, and our O can match theirs. I ain't a-sceered o' no Tigers.
A's - young and hunry--and deep--like the Nats, but Davey will ou manage Melvin.
O's - like a sibling rivalry. Strangely, the Nats are the stronger sibling. Just keep that in mind. Davey is just as smart as Showalter.
Yanks - how much have the boys learned since June? Girardi won't make mistakes and nor will the players. They really want this one after previous years. Will need all of Davey's, Werth's and ALR's smarts, and the Kid's energy.
This is fun.
October 06, 2012 12:48 PM
Gio Q&A from Big League Stew.
hmmm, did they do the interview before he won his 21st?
1a, of course. But it's fun (to me) to see how the Nats might stack up against the AL teams.
Heard on mlb network Lannan and DeRosa not on the vs. Cards roster. Has anyone seen the list?
Manassas, thats off of Ladsons tweet last night but it makes sense that they aren't on it.
MASN now quoting off of MLB Network.
Is garcia on? How many pitchers? I agree it made sense
I believe I read that the roster for each series must be set the morning of the first game of that series. What time, I'm not sure. The Nats might say something today about it (and Ladson's sources told him a completely logical thing last night), but they don't have to.
Count on Garcia. Question is pick 2 of 3 of Gorzo, MGonzo, and Lannan.
Agree Jack...I don't think there's a role for Lannan in this series...
I heard Mark say this on the radio today. The interesting thing about starting on the road, that it means if the Nats win this series that the win will happen at home. I think that is pretty cool.
Lannan is stretched out as a long-man and has been Big Game John.
If you are almost 100% sure that Gio, JZim, EJax and Det can pitch Aces than certainly you don't need Lannan.
That is very cool. Leave it to Mark to come up with a bright side. :-)
Tcostant said...
I heard Mark say this on the radio today. The interesting thing about starting on the road, that it means if the Nats win this series that the win will happen at home. I think that is pretty cool.
October 06, 2012 2:48 PM
Clark Griffith was a nice man(so far as I know); his adopted son's name was Calvin. Calvin was a stuffed shirt who reasoned that the low attendance at Griffith Stadium was because black people didn't like baseball, plus that the Stadium was old, decrepit, and had NO parking. There was also of course the little business that the Senators were generally not a good product. DC hammered the nails into the coffin by refusing to fund a new stadium. (Unlike the Lerners, the Griffiths were not wealthy and could not afford to build one themselves.)
mick -- a small correction from earlier, the "racist, evil old coot" Boz described who absconded with the original Nats up to Minnesota was Calvin Griffith, not Clark.
From Chronicle Staff Writer Susan Slusser at Comerica Park
Here’s the A’s lineup today for Game 1: Crisp CF, Drew SS, Cespedes LF, Moss 1B, Reddick RF, Donaldson 3B, Smith DH, Norris C, Pennington 2B. Parker P.
This would be mr roster
pitchers
Gio
JZim
Ejax
Det
Stammen
Garcia
Mattheus
Storen
Clippard
Burnett
Gorzy
M Gonzo
Suzuki
Flores
LaRoche
Espinosa
Rzim
Tracy
Lombo
Harper
Werth
Morse
Moorr
Shark
Some more history- To be fair, Calvin Griffith was not an "old racist coot"; he was a "middle-aged racist coot" at the time of THE MOVE. At least half the blame for the move lies at the feet of the DC government. Senators I were long gone before DC finally ponied up the money for DC Stadium as a condition for getting a replacement MLB team. For all his faults(he had many), Calvin was correct in the business sense that he could not develop a competitive team at Griffith Stadium. My source for the last sentence: Shirley Povich.
Manassas, you forgot the All Star SS :-)
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