WASHINGTON
As I sit in the stands of Nationals Park during this magical season, I think back to that day 41 years ago, when the baseball team of my youth, the Washington Senators, was whisked out of town. The Nationals mischievously rouse this bittersweet memory, beginning every game with a video that shows the Senators being transformed into the Nationals, the hulking old RFK Stadium swapped with the airy new gem of a park, and the old slugger Frank Howard replaced by Nats third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, set to patriotic music composed for a John Adams miniseries. Tears have been known to flow on fans of a certain age.
Comments
I live in Boston, but worked in Washington for close to 30 years. Michael Kranish is right. The Senators were never what you would call a really successful team, but they were a fun team to watch and DC (later RFK) statium was a great and comfortable place to see a ballgame. I always went there at least once everytime they were in tonw. What he says about Frank Howard is absolutely true. I almost never use the term "awesome", because of its overuse in today's society;but that's the only word I can think of to describe Howard who we nicknamed "Hondo."
Most people forget, but this Senators team was the "Second" Washington Senators. The original Senators team is the one in the picture. That left Washington for Minnesota around 1962. This second Senators team left for Texas in 1969.
I've been following the Nationals since they came to DC from Montreal five years ago. You can catch their games on line or on the radio at 1500 AM if they are playing after the sun goes down. They finished with a strong second half of the season last year. I knew they were going to be competitive, but I never thought they would be this successful. I would love to see a Series featuring the Nationals and the Orioles.
I live in Boston, but worked in Washington for close to 30 years. Michael Kranish is right. The Senators were never what you would call a really successful team, but they were a fun team to watch and DC (later RFK) statium was a great and comfortable place to see a ballgame. I always went there at least once everytime they were in tonw. What he says about Frank Howard is absolutely true. I almost never use the term "awesome", because of its overuse in today's society;but that's the only word I can think of to describe Howard who we nicknamed "Hondo."
Most people forget, but this Senators team was the "Second" Washington Senators. The original Senators team is the one in the picture. That left Washington for Minnesota around 1962. This second Senators team left for Texas in 1969.
I've been following the Nationals since they came to DC from Montreal five years ago. You can catch their games on line or on the radio at 1500 AM if they are playing after the sun goes down. They finished with a strong second half of the season last year. I knew they were going to be competitive, but I never thought they would be this successful. I would love to see a Series featuring the Nationals and the Orioles.